Queen’s, Kuhio Beach Waikiki
30 - 31 May 2009

PARTICIPATION SWELLS AT T&C SURF GROM CONTEST

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 June, 2009 : - - Honolulu -- Though it’s called a grom surf contest, characterizing the small stature of its competitors, there was nothing small about the 12th Annual T&C Surf Grom Contest on May 30-31, 2009.

A record number of young rippers flooded Waikiki’s Kuhio Beach in what turned out to be the largest group of competitors in the contest’s history. More than 250 surfers age 5 to 14 from across the island chain hit the waves for two days of good-natured competition under perfect blue skies.

Held annually at Queen’s surf break in the shadow of the Duke Kahanamoku statue, the event gives groms a competitive experience without the pressure of a rated surf contest (kids ranked 12th or higher in HASA are not eligible). Champions were crowned in 11 different longboard, shortboard and bodyboard divisions for boys and girls. Prize packs and trophies went to the top six in each division, and two lucky winners went home with custom T&C Surf shortboards.

"Giving back always feels good, but the stoked smile on the face of a young surfer is extra special,” says T&C Surf president and founder Craig Sugihara. “Watching the kids this weekend reminds me of the reason I got started in this business - PASSION. Passion for the ocean, passion for surfing, and passion for our special island home."

Between heats the kids scampered along the lineup of T&C Surf tents under the shade of palms lining Kalakaua Avenue. In the game tent, T&C Surf employees put on beach games for the kids and stoked them out with prizes from dozens of industry sponsors.

Aspiring professional surfers got a little VIP treatment from the media. They talked story with Surfer Magazine and spent the afternoon hanging out with FreeSurf Magazine staff. A film crew also followed the groms into the surf to capture all the action for a segment on BoardStories TV.

In clean, two- to three-foot waves, surfers turned up the heat for the finals on Sunday. Kailon Tyndzik, 14, of East Honolulu grabbed the bodyboard (10-14) title from a field of skilled competitors.

Kainehe Hunt, 7, of Kauai, who surfed in every division offered, scored his first grom title in the boys shortboard (5-7) division while dad Kelly and sister Kahea Hunt earned first in the tandem Expression Session.

Ryan Shanley, 11, of Sunset Beach took home top honors in the boys shortboard (8-11) division. A skilled skateboarder and regular at the North Shore skate park, Shanley spent more time surfing this winter, which seems to have paid off in a big win for this versatile boardsports athlete.

In the contest’s newest division, created to meet a growing demand for girls’ competition, T&C Surf crowned its first queens of the waves in two new longboard age groups. The girls longboard (5-9) title went to Kailee Graf, 8, of Honolulu. The little mermaid showed true potential not only by switching to longboarding this year (she earned 3rd in girls shortboard in ’08), but also taking home top longboard spot on the podium.

The older girls competing in the longboard (10-14) division put on a style show for spectators, pulling off graceful turns and nose rides with the same style as women twice their age. Makani Andric, 13, of Haleiwa swept not only the longboard division but also the girls shortboard (10-14) division.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this year’s contest tees goes to the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, which sponsored 10 competitors in this year’s event.

2009 Results

BODYBOARD GIRLS & BOYS (5-9)
1. FINN MCGILL
2. MAKANA PANG
3. DYLAND FRANZMAN
4. KAINEHE HUNT
5. DYLAN ELLIS
6. KALAI MANUWA

BODYBOARD GIRLS & BOYS (10-14)
1. KAILON TYNDZIK
2. JOEY MULLER
3. JOSH MONIZ
4. RYDER SNOW
5. SETH MONIZ
6. RENESH WAINSCOAT

SHORTBOARD BOYS  (5-7)
1. KAINEHE HUNT
2. REEF TSUTSUI
3. TY-TY KIRBY
4. KANIELA STEWART
5. DYLAND FRANZMAN
6. MAKANI WALKER

SHORTBOARD BOYS (8-11)
1. RYAN SHANLEY
2. JOSIAH WIELAND-VIERRA
3. JOEY JOHNSTON
4. MICHAEL IKALANI
5. JOSH BUDROE
6. KAHIA WALKER

SHORTBOARD BOYS (12-14)
1. LANDON MCNAMARA
2. BRICK SHANLEY
3. DANE RUST
4. PIERCE WATUMULL
5. TRAVIS KILCOMMONS
6. CONNOR JENSEN

SHORTBOARD GIRLS  (5-9)
1. KAILEE GRAF
2. SUNNY PATEY
3. MOON OTTEMAN
4. TENAYA RICHARDSON
5. ZOE MCDOUGAL
6. KIRRA BORRELLO

SHORTBOARD GIRLS (10-14)
1. MAKANI ANDRIC
2. CAYLA MOORE
3. VANINA WALSH
4. KELLY GRAF
5. HUNTER LONG
6. JENNA FORTI

LONGBOARD BOYS (5-9)
1. FINN MCGILL
2. JOSH BUDROE
3. DEVIN BRUGGEMANN
4. JOSH KIKAHUNA
5. KAINEHE HUNT
6. WYATT MCHALE

LONGBOARD BOYS (10-14)
1. SETH MONIZ
2. KEONI BLOMFIELD
3. KAITO KINO
4. JOSH MONIZ
5. BRICK SHANLEY
6. LANDON MCNAMARA

LONGBOARD GIRLS (5-9)
1.  KAILEE GRAF
2. MEGAN MCHALE
3. SUNNY PATEY
4. TENAYA RICHARDSON
5. ZOE MCDOUGALL
6. KIRRA BORRELLO

LONGBOARD GIRLS (10-14)
1. MAKANI ANDRIC
2. DAX MCGILL
3. VANINA WALSH
4. MAHINA MAEDA
5. HONOLUA BLOMFIELD
6. GABRIELA YESTER

BOARD STORIES EXPRESSION SESSION
    (keiki, parent, last name)
1. KAHEA AND KELLY HART
2. TIKI AND ALIKA WILLIS
3. ADRI AND ADAM BORRELLO

About T&C Surf: Founded in 1971 by surfboard shaper Craig Sugihara, T&C Surf operates three divisions: surfboards, retail and licensing. The surfboard division operates from a state-of-the art shaping facility in Wahiawa. It provides our highly skilled board shapers with the best tools for designing and producing some of the world’s most sought-after boards. The retail division includes six locations on Oahu; Ala Moana Center, International Market Place, Kahala Mall, Pearlridge Shopping Center, Ward Center, and Windward Mall. The licensing division has agreements around the world, including Japan, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. Visit us online at TCSurf.com. 

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www.tcsurf.com/grom09

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