RISING GROM

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME BETWEEN DRINKS WHEN IT COMES TO

FEATURING A FEMALE SURFER AS OUR RISING GROM. Gromettes, as they may be called, have made a steady rise not only in numbers but also in surfing ability. The days of old where women’s surfing was considered slow and boring have been replaced by a new charge of ambassadors at the top of the realm who are inspiring young women all over the world, with their on edge, high performance surfing that has bridged the equality gap between male and female surfing, to a point where instead of people leaving the beach when the women’s surfing is on, they are actually showing up to watch. Inspired by the likes of Steph Gilmore, Carissa Moore and Sally Fitzgibbons, young gromettes all over our country are on the rise. This issue we feature Jasmine Smith as our Rising Gromette.

AGE: 15 NICKNAMES: Jaz

BOARDS: Lost 5’6” x 17 1/2” and Lost 5’6” x 17 3/4” shaped by Tommy Dalton SPONSORS: RIPCURL (Thanks Leon)

CONTEST RESULTS: 1st U14 Scholastics 2011, 1st U14 TSB Bank Surf Festival Taranaki,1st U16 Billabong Grom Series 2012, 2nd Maz Quinn King of the Groms 2012, 2nd U16 National Champs Piha 2012, 37th Junior ISA World Surfing Champs.

WHEN DID YOU START SURFING AND WHAT ON? I started surfing three years ago with Dad and my cousin Abby Logan. After surf club trainings at Wainui we would always be out in the water, that’s when dad suggested we should start surfing, he bought me a 6’2” New Wave fish which has now been passed down to my youngest sister Ava. WHO HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES

GROWING UP SURFING IN GISBORNE? Dion Williams (my surf lifesaving coach), Steve Roberts because he is an over-sized grom and is always offering advice out in the surf, Johnny Hicks, Bobby Hansen, Blair Stewart, Razza, Richard Christie, Maz, John Gisby, and all the other locals that rip, all influence me while out surfing. The TSB Taranaki Womens Pro in 2010 also had a huge influence on me to start surfing, I got to watch all the top female surfers compete, which was awesome! I think that’s when I decided I wanted to start surfing both for the love of it and competitively and came home with my board covered in signatures. IF YOU WERE TO ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS AS A GROM TO ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE? Gisborne has so many good surfers that it pushes my surfing, when the surf’s pumping and you’re paddling for a bomb set and people like Steve Roberts, Magoo, or any of the locals say “GO” you have to GO!! GISBORNE HAS PRODUCED MANY WORLD CLASS SURFERS OVER THE YEARS, HOWEVER FOR THE FIRST TIME IT IS THE FEMALE SURFERS LEADING THE CHARGE. WOMEN SURFERS ARE NO LONGER A SMALL MINORITY, HOW DOES THIS FEELS TO BE A PART OF THIS MOVEMENT? I think it’s awesome!! There have been more and more female surfers out in the water, and with the ‘Wahine On Waves’ events run by Fi Duncan here in Gisborne, it is influencing females to surf. And with Jayda pushing the competitive side of it, there are more younger girls starting to surf in Gisborne. It’s only going to get stronger.

YOU LIVE IN A REGION THAT ON ANY GIVEN DAY THERE CAN BE A RIDEABLE WAVE SOMEWHERE, DOES THIS HELP YOUR SURFING PROGRESSION HAVING WAVES ON TAP? YES!!! It definitely helps. I get to surf almost every day, it’s walking distance anywhere around Wainui, five minutes to Makarori, 10 minutes to town beaches, 20 minute paddle to the island. So I don’t really have an excuse not to go surfing. YOU LIVE AT WAINUI BEACH, SO GET TO SEE THE SURF MOST MORNINGS BEFORE SCHOOL. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WAKE TO SEE IT’S PUMPING? DO YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN FEEL SICK AND MAKE A REMARKABLE RECOVERY AFTER SCHOOL STARTS, SIMPLY WAG, OR HEAD OFF TO SCHOOL FEELING THE PAIN OF MISSING OUT UNTIL THE 3PM BELL AND THEN GET OUT THERE? There have definitely been mornings where I have taken all of the above into consideration. Mum and Dad can be pretty reasonable if the surf is pumping and my school work is up to date, or when dad isn’t working he will take me surfing.

FAVOURITE WAVES IN NZ: Anywhere along Wainui,

The Island.

WORST WAVE IN NZ: I don’t really have a worst wave

in NZ.

BEST SESSION EVER: Sunday 3rd June 2012 1pm, SOLID 6-7ft Pines. When Wainui’s that good you can’t not go out, so Abby, Dad and I decided to give it a crack... biggest wipeout, biggest hold down, biggest rush, biggest wave. It was definitely one of the scariest surfs watching a set of about four waves around 7ft break on top of Abby and Dad. I caught the biggest wave I’ve ever had, I can just remember that the drop was scary and steep and it felt like I was surfing a tsunami! But it was probably not very big at all.

FAVOURITE SURFERS: Clay Marzo, Gabriel Medina, Dad, Abi, Abby, Richard Christie, Johnny Hicks, Bobby Hansen... and Kelly Slater. TRICKS OR POWER SURFING? Both. OVERSEAS TRAVEL: I had the opportunity to travel to Panama and compete in the World Junior ISA Champs.

I surfers, got to compete this was really against inspiring, and watch which the showed top junior me girl just how I am good going you to Aussie have to in be a to couple make of it weeks to the for top. a Also surf comp. WAVES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SURF MOST OVERSEAS: Hawaii, andanywhere tropical.

GOALS: To do well in school, have fun, and surf.

INTERESTS: Surfing, surf lifesaving, anything that involves being at thebeach. FAVOURITE FOOD: Flavoramas at the Wainui Dairy. WHO DO YOU SURF WITH MOST: Abby, Abi, Dad,

Jack, Ben. IF YOU WHERE A CARTOON CHARACTER WHAT WOULD YOU BE: Phineas & Ferb haha?

WHAT ANNOYS YOU THE MOST: My cousin Abby Falwasser Logan has surfed with Dad and I for three years and has never supplied a block of wax.

DISLIKES: Lending wax to Abby everyday.

BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE: Learnt to surf, took a photo of my cousin Abby who just recently bought her own block of wax.

SILLIEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE: Um... maybe when Abby and I surfed with lipstick and a whole lot of make up on, I’m not sure why? I think we were dared, but we looked like pandas out in the surf, and it probably explains the weird looks we were getting from other surfers.

IF YOU WON LOTTO WHAT WOULD YOU DO: Take my family and friends on a boat trip to the Mentawais.

WHAT ARE YOU THOUGHTS ON SMOKING: Looks

dumb, costs money, kills you!

SHOUT OUTS: Mum and Dad and my sisters Stella and Ava. ABBY!, Abi Daunton!, Ben McCulloch and Jack Virtue, Gabby and Bianca Samson, Bickie, Dayna Story, Hannah Kohn, the Bowden family and all the Wainui locals.