Local Surfer Bren Advances in National Contest

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Local Surfer Bren Advances in National Contest
Local surfer Gavin Bren last week finished first in the under-12 division of the Rip Curl Grom Search event in Florida. With the win, Bren advances to the Rip Curl Grom Search national championships in California in December. Submitted photo

OCEAN CITY- Local surfer Gavin Bren made a big splash last week in a Rip Curl Grom Search qualifying event in New Smyrna, Fla., winning his division to advance to Race to the Ranch and the national finals later this year.

The Rip Curl Grom Search series returned for the 22nd time this year and the latest event in the four-contest series was held in New Smyrna, Fla. last week. Local surfer Gavin Bren, no stranger to winning in the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) circuit, took first place in the under-12 bracket to advance and gain the opportunity to compete in the 2022 Race to the Ranch national finals where qualifiers will compete in the North American Grom Search Championships in Lemoore, Cal. in December.

Bren finished first in the under-12 division and earned $500 in prize money along with gifts from host Rip Curl. With the win, he advances to the Rip Curl Grom Search National Finals later this year. The qualifying event last week in New Smyrna, Fla. was the last in the series. Bren and the other winners now advance to the Rip Curl Grom Search event at the ranch in Lemoore, Calif. Slated for December 17 with the national championships on the line.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.