Ocean City GromSearch Qualifier Celebrates Local Surf Talent
National youth surfing returned to 7th Street Beach
Ocean City's 7th Street Beach hosted the conclusion of the 2026 Rip Curl GromSearch North America Tour qualifying series on August 22 and 23.
The competition brought youth surfers to Ocean City for the final opportunity to earn qualification spots in the Rip Curl GromSearch National Final.
For the hometown crowd, one result stood out: Ocean City surfer Finn Law won the U16 Boys division, finishing ahead of second-place competitor Sebastian Peters.
The weekend extended beyond the competition itself. Nearly 150 surfing enthusiasts also gathered at the Ocean City Community Center Saturday evening for a free New Jersey premiere of Rip Curl's surf film "Sketchy."
Who qualified in Ocean City?
The Ocean City stop determined national-final qualification across the youth divisions.
Finn Law captured first place in U16 Boys, giving the local crowd a hometown victory at 7th Street Beach.
In the girls divisions, Athena Staros won U16 Girls and also finished third in U14 Girls. Keira Soleau won U14 Girls while taking second in U16 Girls.
The top four competitors in each division earned qualification spots for the Rip Curl GromSearch National Final.
That final is scheduled for October 8 at Atlantic Park Surf in Virginia Beach.
Division winners in Ocean City also received $500 prize checks presented by title sponsor Flexfit and supporting surf-industry brands.
More than a weekend surf contest
The competition at 7th Street Beach was only one part of the weekend.
On Saturday evening, nearly 150 people gathered at the Ocean City Community Center for the New Jersey premiere of "Sketchy," a Rip Curl surf film.
The free community event included:
Live acoustic music
Local food vendors
Product giveaways
Athlete meet-and-greets
The film premiere
Hosting the evening program away from the beach gave competitors, families, and local surfing enthusiasts another way to participate in the GromSearch weekend.
The Ocean City Community Center provided an indoor gathering point while the competition itself remained centered on 7th Street Beach.
Ocean City's role in the GromSearch series
The 2026 Ocean City event concluded the North America Tour's national qualifying series.
Rip Curl GromSearch has now been supporting youth competitive surfing for 27 years, giving developing surfers an organized competitive pathway and an opportunity to advance to a national final.
Ocean City's role as the final qualifying stop made the August 22-23 competition particularly important for athletes still seeking national-final positions.
With the top four surfers in each division advancing, results at 7th Street directly determined who moved forward to the October competition in Virginia Beach.
A hometown win at 7th Street Beach
For Ocean City spectators, Finn Law's U16 Boys victory added a distinctly local element to a national competition.
Youth surf events can bring competitors from different areas to the Jersey Shore, but a hometown surfer winning his division at 7th Street gave the crowd someone familiar to support.
Law finished first, while Sebastian Peters earned second place.
The result also secured Law's qualification for the National Final.
For local surfing families, it was a chance to watch high-level youth competition on a beach that is part of Ocean City's everyday surf community.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Ocean City GromSearch event?
The qualifying competition took place August 22-23, 2026.
Where was it held?
Competition was held at Ocean City's 7th Street Beach.
Who won the U16 Boys division?
Ocean City local Finn Law finished first.
How did surfers qualify for the National Final?
The top four competitors in each division earned qualification spots.
When is the National Final?
The Rip Curl GromSearch National Final is scheduled for October 8 at Atlantic Park Surf in Virginia Beach.
An Ocean City surf weekend to remember
Between the competition at 7th Street Beach and the Saturday-night gathering at the Ocean City Community Center, the GromSearch stop became more than a series of heats in the water.
Athletes competed for national-final positions, division champions earned $500 prizes, local fans had a hometown winner to celebrate, and nearly 150 people participated in the evening film premiere.
After 27 years of Rip Curl GromSearch competition, Ocean City served as the final qualifying stop for another generation of youth surfers heading toward the national stage.
Sources: Shore Local Newsmagazine; Rip Curl
