RISING GROM CALLUM CHUTER
Practice makes perfect and for groms the more practice they get can excel their surfing within a few weeks of waves. But when you come from a coastline that isn’t renowned for consistent waves, that isn’t the most conducive environment for learning, yet the starvation of waves sure makes you hungry. For Callum Chuter the chance to attend the Raglan Surf Academy was an easy decision, so for the last year he has left behind his home town of Mt Maunganui in return for the consistency of the West Coast and his surfing has gone from strength to strength and landed him the NZ Surf Mag Dragon Rising Grom.
Age: 16 Nicknames: Shooter, Chutes
Where were you born and grew up? I was born in Auckland but moved to Tauranga when I was about 1.
Boards: 5’6” x 18 3/4” x 2 3/16”, 5’8” x 17 1/2” x 2 1/8”, 5’8” x 17 3/4” x 2 1/8” All shaped by Sean Newton @ SND surfboards Sponsors: SND surfboards
Contest results: 2nd U16 boys Scholastics 2013, 4th Whangamata Billabong Grom series U16 boys 2013, 4th Taranaki Gromfest U16 boys 2013, 5th overall under 16 National Grom series 2013, 4th U16 boys Billabong Grom series 2013, 3rd overall Bay Boardriders U16 2013
When did you start surfing and what on? I started surfing when I was about eight on a bodyboard but for my 11th birthday my parents bought me a 6’2” Solid surfboard and I have been hooked since then. Who have been your biggest influences growing up surfing in the Mount? Growing up around the Mount, Alex Dive, Matt Hewitt and Tim O’Connor because I always saw pictures of them and surfed around them when I was real young and now they are competing internationally. If you were to attribute your success as a grom to one thing, what would it be? I would have to say just surfing heaps, listening to what coaches had to say and also travelling as much as I could when the Mount goes flat for a few weeks. How important has making the move to live and study in raglan at the surf academy been for your surfing development? It has been so important for my surfing development, I used to surf once or twice a week back in Tauranga but now I surf every day and Deane and Larry film me and give me coaching every surf so that helps so much. Also having such quality waves each day is great because I can practice heaps. Will you be completing your schooling at the academy? And what after that? I’m planning on doing year 12 at the Surf Academy, and see what happens for year 13. If not I’ll probably go back to Tauranga for year 13. After the academy I’m going to go back to the Mount and continue my training to becoming a pilot.
Favourite waves in NZ: The Island, Manu Bay, Indies and Ruapuke Worst wave in NZ: Shark Alley
Biggest waves tackled: Depends how you measure it but probably 5-6 foot Manu Bay.
Best session ever: At the start of this year I had the best session at Manu Bay low tide down the sand bar, it was 4-5 ft really consistent, no wind, super clean, the odd barrel and just kept getting wave after wave with only half the Academy boys out.
Favourite surfers: Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Dane Reynolds and Ricardo Christie.
Tricks or power surfing? Trick surfing because it feels sick when you land an air or reverse.
Overseas travel? I went to Aussie at the start of this year and surfed all the Goldy for a week and it was pumping, I’ve also surfed in England which was freezing!
Waves you’d most like to surf overseas? I’d really like to go on a boat trip round the Mentawais with my best mates. Also Bali, Snapper and Trestles.
Goals: Win a Grom contest. To make the NZ Worlds team before I’m too old. Get a sponsorship. Surf till
I’m Interests: super old. Surfing, Flying, Skating, Travelling
Favourite food: Sushi! If you where a cartoon character what would you be? Probably Curious George, hahah, because I always do weird things.
What annoys you the most? No surf and bad
weather.
Dislikes: No surf, snakes, drop ins, dings in my boards and mushrooms.
Best thing you have ever done: Started surfing and going to the Raglan Surf Academy.
Silliest thing you have ever done: Broke my foot running downstairs so I was out of the water for six weeks.
If you won lotto what would you do: Buy a plane, go on a surf trip to Mentawais, give some to my parents and charity.
What are your thoughts on smoking? Don’t like it and I will never try it.
Shout outs: My family Mum and Dad, Sister, Brother and Nana. Thanks to Deane and Larry at Surf Academy for coaching and videoing me. Sean Newton for making my boards, Matt Hall for the wetsuits, Geoff Hutchieson from Backdoor. My friends Andrew, Maddy, Simon, Taylor, Harry, Levi, Eddi, Billy, Morgan and all the other Surf Academy.