Groms to Pros Compete in the Volcom Blowfish Surf Series

Promise Yee

OCEANSIDE, CA -- Groms, juniors, women, men and pros hit the waves at Oceanside’s south jetty to face off in competition at the Volcom Blowfish Surf Series, November 7. The contest is open to all divisions of competition with no entry fees, and especially encourages 14 year old and under “groms” to test the waters of competition.

“Its just a real grassroots, fun event for kids to come out and have a fun time with their families,” Carl Home, contest director, said.

Caroline Collins, of Costa Mesa, watched from shore as her husband and daughter competed in their divisions. “Its the coolest thing for kids,” Collins said. “There’s no entry fee and great prizes.”

The shortboard competition judges riders on radical maneuvers, speed and control. It proved a good day for competition with consistent sets of small, well-shaped waves coming in. “It was fun waves for a contest,” Ryan Burch, a 20 year old professional surfer from Encinitas, said. “Usually its bad form. Today it was fun and the competition was hard because everybody surfs good.”

In addition to prizes earned at the day’s competition, points are also tallied towards championship finals held in May at Newport Beach. “This is the second stop of the Blowfish Surf Series,” Home said. “It’s a worldwide tour. Kids from all over compete.”

Many competitors start as “groms” and continue competing for years reaching adult divisions. “I’ve done these contests ever since I was 12, in the youngest kid division, the grom division, ” Burch said.  “I did the junior, and now I do the pro division. Its just fun because it’s a free contest, so its no pressure, and a lot of kids just get to have fun.”

Final results of the Volcom Blowfish Surf Series are posted online at www.volcom.com.