29 September 2026,  Jialeshuei, Taiwan:  The 5-day Pingtung Jialeshuei APSS Asia Tour Taiwan and Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol Taiwan surfing event is all set to start tomorrow at Jialeshuei Bay in South Taiwan.

Sponsored by the Pintung Government and organized by the Taiwan Ocean Recreation Sports Association (TORSA) the Pingtung Jialeshuei APSS Asia Tour is the longest running surfing event in South Taiwan area and one of the most well attended surfing events in the region.

This is the second year for Jialeshuei to host an Asian ProAm Surfing Series event, and the first year to include the Grom Patrol Taiwan junior surfing competition series.  Last year’s event was a spectacular success, with competitors representing Japan, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, the UK and of course Taiwan participating in Men’s and Women’s Longboard and Shortboard divisions.

This is the 2nd stop on the APSS tour, with the Dongsha Open of Surfing having just been completed on 18-20 September in Zhoushan, China.  The event will have a live broadcast and a well as a team of ASC professionals officiating and providing media support.

The Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol is a yearly junior competition series designed as a national develop step for Asian countries that culminates in a Grand Final in Bali, Indonesia each year.  Taiwan now joins India and Thailand as countries outside of Indonesia that are hosting Grom Patrol events to nurture and progress their surfing programs ultimately attaining Olympic qualification.  

The 2026-27 Grom Patrol season just started off in Khaolak Thailand last weekend, and two Thai groms, Under 18 Girls Shortboard winner Aonnarin Engsrisawang and Mathiya Ashley Holmberg have made the trip to Jaileshuei to experience competing in Taiwan for the first time.  

“I get such great experience doing these Grom Patrol events,” said Engsrisawang. “I get to surf new waves, make new friends, and get a lot of valuable experience. I’m so excited to be in Taiwan. I don’t care what the result is, I just want to do my best.”

Two special grom training sessions were held at the beach, yesterday and today, by Japan’s Dai Wako, who is also web commentating at the event, where the junior surfers had a chance to be coached and training by a professional coach in preparation for the Grom Patrol, which included running practice heats for better wave selection and how to earning the scores they need, as well as analyzing their performances.

“It was super fun for me to coach the groms,” said Wako.  “The waves were small but we were able to do some pre-heat training and some games as well.  They have great potential and with more coaching they will certainly progress rapidly.”

As the wave conditions are quite small and tide dependent,  ASC Contest Director Alex Hontoria met with the local crew and mapped out a plan.  “Wave conditions are looking small for the next few days, but we’re going to be monitoring conditions starting each morning at 8 am as we have juniors, longboards, and shortboards that we can run with depending on the waves,” he said. 

 “Low tide seems to provide the best waves, so it looks like tomorrow we’d look at starting off with the Grom Patrol around say 10 am.  At this point it looks like the bigger waves will be coming towards the end of the waiting period, but we’ll just stand by and make calls as mother nature can always throw us some surprises.”

Check the schedule on Live Heats:

Grom Patrol:   https://liveheats.com/events/548474

APSS:  https://liveheats.com/events/548475

And on Instagram,  @asiansurfco  @grom.patrol @torsataiwan @pingtungtrip

The Pingtung County Government has been an avid supporter of surfing in South Taiwan, as evidenced by their sponsorship of this event, which is the longest-running surfing competition even in this region.  Their goal is to increase the visibility of the area for both surfers and tourists that seek to enjoy watersports like surfing, diving, and boating, as well as, biking, exploring, and enjoying the varied culinary and cultural wonders on offer in this beautiful area.

About the Asian ProAm Surf Series (APSS):

The Asian ProAm Surf Series is a progressive Asian-wide competition initiative designed to support and elevate surfing development by bridging the gap between grassroots level events and global platforms; assisting talented surfers develop into professional athletes and offering traveling and adventure surfers an opportunity to surf new places, meet new people, and join in fun events that are officially sanctioned by the longest running surfing organization in Asia, the Asian Surf Cooperative.

About the Grom Patrol

Founded in 2019 by Tipi Jabrik, the Grom Patrol has become Asia’s leading youth surf training camp and competition series. Originally launched in Bali, the series has continued to expand each year, providing young surfers with a positive, supportive, and competitive environment where they can develop their skills, build lasting friendships, and embrace the surfing lifestyle.

About the Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC):

The Asian Surf Cooperative is Asia’s leading organization dedicated to the growth and development of surfing in Asia through high-quality events, coaching, and media services. With over two decades of experience, ASC continues to support and pave the way for the current and next generation of professional surfers.

About Liveheats:

Liveheats is a digital platform that powers competitive action sporting events – from local clubs to professional world tours. The platform is designed to empower sporting communities, event organizers, and athletes by providing powerful competition features built for modern action sports.  See more at www.liveheats.com  and on IG @live_heats