Meet the Groms of Surfing in SL!

For over three years, I have been attending or working surf competitions in Secondlife. We have had so many different styles represented within the community. Elves, furries, vampires, goths, nekos, the super tanned avs and white as a sheet avs, and everything in between. While at the last competition, I looked around at our motely group brought together to surf and thought, "when did we get so many groms?" (groms = surf punks = surf kids)

Course this is nothing new, child avs have been surfing with us for a while now. I started thinking about all they have done, all they have accomplished in the surf community. You hear so much the bad about child avs in secondlife. I wanted to point out the good. Below you will find interviews with Markfoo Waverider who is our oldest or rather longest standing grom member in the surf community. Always a positive spirit. sven Homewood who works to get more child avs into surfing. And our newest grom, jayden Domenici.

Markfoo Waverider
How old are you in sl?
Who cares? Wow, let's say not old enough to have a beer but old enough to steal one ;) ok, don't tell Mom, right?

What got you interested in surfing?
I'm surfing RL in France everyday and I know how lucky I am (you already noticed I'm french with my poor english, uh) well, you know, it's easy. Surf is an addiction. When you ride your first wave, you're done. SL is just an extension of RL. Sure, you won't feel the water, hear the wave and drop into the pipe BUT the soul, the spirit, the feelings, all the deep part of surfing, can be reached in SL. And, on top of that, I discovered awesome dudes here. Lots of those surfers have inspired me and influenced my RL surfing and thinking. I'm sorry, the list is too long. I'll have an endless respect to SL surfers. I'm proud to be part of the community. Dudes, bro' and sis, the tribe, the competitions, the party waves!!!! yay! That's all I've had my all life, that's all I want all my life. That's enough to me.

Are you with any teams? What leagues do you surf in?
I'm a Taichier ! Why do you ask ? hahahhaa anyway, belonging to a team doesn't mean a lot ... I'm really proud (again!) to be a Viber and also a Tsunami member and having friends within Reef Riders, Boracay, Piranha,.... but TaiChi is my team of heart and it's sane and real fun to compete for a team with all sis teams around ! woooot Leagues? I think ... all ? SLSA, ASA, ABSSL ... that's always great pleasure to ride with different boards and waves and killer surfers from everywhere! All the directors and crews of those leagues are doing an awesome job and spend sooo many hours, just to allow us to have fun and surf. That's respectable, that gives me a strong motivation to do my best during the comps to honor those guys.

Do you feel child avs have been accepted into the surfing community? Why or why not?
We are not accepted!!! We are not allowed to have a beer !!! uh! ok ok ... I hate this question. I have been more than accepted, I have been adopted. I'm sooooo lucky. It touchs me. Ok next question please.

When you aren't surfing, what do you like to do?
Paddling ... what else? You paddle, you surf, you paddle, you surf ... understand? Easy, huh? I recommend you to try simboarding and base jumping and scuba-diveing, and snowboarding and skating .... all extreme sports are cool ... and I love to hear Tauri's (Tauri Tigerpaw) voice and partying with friends if they only should pay me a beer ..... hahahhhaha ..... I'm a kiddo, a brat ... I like it like that .... catcha on da waves!!! ....... hugz

sven Homewood
How old are you in sl?
14

What got you interested in surfing?
Well, some kid friends showed me surfing, and I stayed. First I surfed just for fun and never thought about competitions.
Around 1 year later some 'grown ups' asked if i wouldn't like to compete, because my surfing looks good.

Are you with any teams? What leagues do you surf in?
I'm not in a team, I like to be independent. I surf in the SLSA season competitions. I am also a judge and did some judging already.

Do you feel child avs have been accepted into the surfing community? Why or why not?
Yes, they have! The surfers are the most relaxed group I've ever met in SL. When someone's complaining about Child Avies in the surfing community, someone came to my help. Also some surfers ask me, why not more kids surfing (I ask myself that...).

When you aren't surfing, what do you like to do?
Besides surfing I sail, grins :-P



jayden Domenici
What got you interested in surfing?
my daddy taught me everything I needed to know about the surfing way of life

Are you with any teams?
Team Surfcrazy and SLSA

Do you feel child avs have been accepted into the surfing community? Why or why not?
yes they have and I think its wonderful opportunity that they have its fun

When you aren't surfing, what do you like to do?
build things and be with my family

Well, there ya have it folks. The groms of surfing in Secondlife. Watch out for them when you see them on the waves because being a kid won't stop them from giving you a run for your money.

Lissa

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