Young Surfing Stars Leah Lepront and Taylor Emslie Triumph at Rip Curl GromSearch in Port Alfred

Leah Lepront and Taylor Emslie emerged triumphant at the Rip Curl GromSearch presented by The Royal St Andrews Hotel and supported by Sea Harvest, with Lepront claiming the Premier U16 Girls Division title and Emslie taking out the U18 Girls crown in big, blustery conditions at East Beach, Port Alfred on Monday, 6 April, 2026.

Undaunted by the gruelling conditions, Leah Lepront surfed her way to victory in the Premier U16 Girls Division, taking the win from Jasmine Venter to secure her berth into the Rip Curl International Finals.

Leah Lepront Earns Premier Rip Curl GromSearch U16 Division Title

She also takes the R20,000 travel voucher to help her along the way to the Rip Curl GromSearch International Finals event.

“I’ve been working so hard and training for this event,” said Lepront. “This was my one focus, and I am so happy that I took out the win.”

2026 Rip Curl GromSearch U16 Champion, Leah Lepront

In the U18 Girls final, Taylor Emslie demonstrated superior surfing to take the win from Louise Lepront, with Leah Lepront and Camilla Heuer filling the 3rd and 4th positions respectively.

Emslie’s highest scoring wave banked 8.5 points in the early moments of the final and saw her shoot into the lead and keep her position there until the end.

As the tide rushed in and the wind dropped in the late afternoon, the waves improved somewhat, allowing for massive scoring potential and subsequent big scores on the board for these surfers.

The Rip Curl GromSearch presented by The Royal St Andrews Hotel is part of the Port Alfred Easter Festival, a multi-sports, music and culture festival that takes place every Easter weekend in Port Alfred on the banks of the Kowie River.

U16 Girls Final Results of the 2025 Rip Curl GromSearch in Port Alfred from Saturday 4 to Monday 6 April, 2026

1. Leah Lepront
2. Jasmine Venter
3. Tasia Belyaeva
4. Camilla Heuer

U18 Girls

1. Taylor Emslie
2. Louise Lepront
3. Leah Lepront
4. Camilla Heuer

---

Original Copy: Surfing SA, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: Leah Lepront took out the Premier U16 Girls title at the Rip Curl GromSearch presented by The Royal St Andrews Hotel, demonstrating superior surfing skills in challenging conditions at East Beach, Port Alfred on Monday, 6 April, 2026. All Photos: Kody McGregor / Surfing South Africa

Photo 2 Caption: Scottburgh surfer Lepront celebrates her Premier U16 Girls Division victory, which secures her berth into the Rip Curl International Finals.

The post Young Surfing Stars Leah Lepront and Taylor Emslie Triumph at Rip Curl GromSearch in Port Alfred appeared first on gsport4girls.