Grom who began at three now a champ
MEET Fingal’s latest super grom Dane Henry, who was so young when he learnt to surf he can barely remember.
“I guess I was around three when I started standing up at Currumbin Alley,” the 12year-old said.
“My dad always has encouraged me to surf, even when the conditions weren’t great for beginners.”
The Henry family escaped the Gold Coast crowds by surfing at Fingal on the Tweed Coast and then ended up moving there.
Being able to surf both sides of the Fingal headland has made Dane a far more versatile surfer.
“It offers all kinds of shreddable waves and it’s helped my surfing a lot as I can surf my backhand heaps and not just go right,” he said.
“We also snorkel in the river and there’s heaps of different beach options around.”
Living so close to the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre at Casuarina Beach led Dane into training sessions with well-known coach Gary Cruickshank and surfing at Dbah and Snapper, two of his popular breaks, with his mates.
His surf trips include Indicators Raglan – his dad’s home break – in New Zealand, travelling to Bells and Winkipop in Victoria and Cloudbreak in Fiji where the family will head for Easter.
Dane has been a member of the Kingscliff Boardriders since he was six.
At nine years of age he entered his first contest and was placed third at the Gold Coast Grom Comp.
Last year he won the NSW under-14 title and was third in the Australian championship.
“I had a pretty good year last year, I did about 13 comps and made maybe 10 finals,” he said.
Dane’s goal is to win an Australian title, qualify for the worlds, and ultimately surf at the Olympics
His heroes include Julian Wilson – “he’s a super stylish surfer, does wicked airs and I’m picking him for 2019 world champ”.
Dane, who looks up to Filipe Toledo, rides a 5”0 epoxy Holy Toledo Sharpeye model. “Filipe is such a fast, powerful surfer and does rad stuff in comps. His boards shred.”
Dane’s favourite move is a backhand hook but he’s working on perfecting an inverted corrupt corkscrew.
“Not there yet (but it’s) so fun going to the air, though,” he said.
The Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School student likes skateboarding, playing touch footy, reading, maths, history and French, and trains in the Lindisfarne Sports Academy.
He is grateful to his mum and dad, brother and sister for supporting his career.
“We travelled to places I’d never been to before. It’s such a great way to see Australia with the family,” he said.
WE TRAVELLED TO PLACES I’D NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE. IT’S SUCH A GREAT WAY TO SEE AUSTRALIA WITH THE FAMILY. DANE HENRY