SurfWatch recently caught up with UMI sponsored surf, boxing and wrestling champion, June Gloom (ToniTrue), to reminisce about her 2016 Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) surfing championship year and her love of wrestling and boxing.
SurfWatch (SW): Hi June - thank you so much for interviewing with us! Looks like you came into Second Life (SL) in 2014 - what drew you in?
June Gloom (JG): Hi Tauri! Thanks for having me! So a real life friend of mine had been doing SL for a while and kept trying to get me to join. I finally broke down and joined and been here every since!
SW: How did you discover SL surfing?
JG: Well in my earlier SL days, I had started DJing pretty regularly. I met this DJ at an Indie club I worked at, and she was a surfer. She asked me if I would like to DJ a surfing competition, so I agreed. I worked several competitions during which, I started really paying attention to the surfers and what they were doing. It was from there that I decided that I wanted to give it a try because it looked like so much fun!
SW: You are the 2016 Season 2 champ. That's exciting for me because I was away for several years during that time. I'd love to know what surfing was like at that time - who were the top competitors with you?
JG: Yes! I still can't believe it sometimes, but it was super fun and such a wonderful experience. Back then, the top group of surfers were Moira and a very new but still very good Kris Marley. Also Cierra Theriac was always in the mix, and Petra Xaris really came on late. I also got to surf against Bobbi Lasalle in the last competition of the season, which was incredible!
SW: What waves and boards were you predominantly riding and why?
JG: It was pretty much the standard rotation as they have currently. C-3, LSD, HP5, and the SSi Long and Short boardies.
SW: What were some of your favorite surf sims back then and why?
JG: Bundy Reef is and will always be my personal favorite, as that it where I met a great many of my current surfing friends as well as where I did my very first competition. Will never forget those big rocks! I also enjoyed Tai a lot. To be fair, there wasn't a surf sim I didn't like.
SW: What was competition surfing like then and was it different from now?
JG: It was super fun for me, also nerve-wracking at times! I tried competing during the peak wrestling season fairly recently, and I just couldn't keep up with both. It felt the same honestly.
SW: And what are your favorite waves and boards and surf sims now and why?
JG: I always had a thing for the bigger waves, because I'm a bit of an air-raider as far as style. The fluffies were surprisingly fun as well, very challenging. As far as boards, my personal fave is the C-3. Hummingbird Point is probably one of the surf Sims I've really enjoyed as of now. I also enjoy Kanaloa, Kona, Baja Norte, Chi, Bluff Cove, Ta'i, Teahupo'o....too many to name really, I love them all!
SW: What are your goals for this season?
JG: Well, I'm not competing, but I always keep my eyes on the happenings of the SLSA, so my goal would be for all surfers to have fun and be safe out there!
SW: UMI is sponsoring you this season. How did you hook up with UMI Surf Company?
JG: I met Frankie Paige through boxing, believe it or not! We started chatting a bit and quickly became good friends, found out we had quite a bit in common. Frankie is amazing, and when the pro wrestling thing started taking off, we talked about helping each other by doing a dual-sponsorship type thing. I'll promote her awesome boards, and she'll give me some plugs here and there. It's been a fantastic partnership, and I'm really lucky and honored to be a part of it! Plus, she's my musical soulmate!
SW: What's your favorite UMI board?
JG: I love all of her boards honestly. My favorite though, would be the custom June Gloom Championship Edition that she made for me! Wanna see it?
SW: I see the iconic Reef Riders Surf Team in your profile - who else was on the team with you at that time?
JG: Actually, when I was actively competing, I surfed with Ta'i Chi. I am, however, an active Reef Riders supporter. I support all teams really, because we're all brothers and sisters in this and we all truly love surfing.
SW: Looks like you are also a championship wrestler! Tell me all about that - how you got started, how often you compete, what it's like to compete. I interviewed an SL wrestler once - she was so much fun. She took pics of me in a headlock hahahah!
Maja the Very Modern Girl (Gaine Somerset), T2 IFFF Champion
Check it out! It still makes me crack up!
JG: Oh my gosh that is epic!!! I am "The Chill Factor" June Gloom. the current Pulse Women's Champion! Chill as Hell outside the ring, Colder than Ice inside it! Haha! Well I've always been a wrestling fan and after putting my application in at a few places, I finally got the call up! During my training, someone suggested to me that I use my surfing background as part of my character development, so I did! Right now, I wrestle for Virtual Wrestling Entertainment (VWE), on their weekly Pulse brand, which airs every Sunday! As far as what it's like....it's very comparable to being in a surf competition. There is a lot skill involved and one wrong move can throw the whole program off..but as in surfing, I really enjoy the thrill and the rush of it all. We can try out a few moves, if you want? Hehe!
SW: You also box??? Okay, tell me about that, too!
JG: Yep, I used to box pretty much every day for a while there. I competed at Lonsdale, where I met some really great people. Also did GFC (Girl's Fight Club) where I finished 3rd and where I met my buddy Ily who is a current surfer...."Hiii Ily!". I also did some exhibition type fights at Frankie's old Gym "Roots"...was super fun! I still do it when I can and it's a great way to keep the skills up and stay in shape.
SW: And you are a DJ! Do you have a regular schedule?
JG: As far as being a DJ, that is something I have done for several years and I really love music so...it just made sense. As of now I'm not on a regular schedule as the wrestling takes up most of my time, but I fill-in at Whiskey SMASH! and Fogbound Blues when I'm able to.
SW: What's the best way for people to know about your upcoming gigs, bouts and comps? Would that be your fangroup at June Gloom Fanclub?
JG: Yep! I have a fan group and pretty soon will have a subscriber kiosk for those that don't have the room for more groups like me (lol). I also have a DJ Group to keep up to date on upcoming sets.
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June Gloom Wrestling Bio: "The Chill Factor" June Gloom (Real name- Liberty June Heartshock) stands at 5'11" and weighs 141 lbs. She is half-Chinese (her Mother's side) and half-Canadian. Her parents moved to the United States shortly before June was born, from her Father's hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. They ended up in June's birth city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
So why "June Gloom"? She explains the name:
"June Gloom is an annual weather pattern in Southern California that consists of long periods of cloudy, overcast "gloomy" days. Well, I just so happen to love cloudy, gloomy days. Also, I'm a big Indie Rock person, and June Gloom happens to be the name of one of my FAVORITE albums from one of my FAVORITE Indie bands of all time!"
As a child, June always loved to fight. As one of the tallest girls all throughout school, sometimes her awkwardness and clumsiness would cause issues between her and her classmates. "Yeah, I got into a lot of fights. Most of them I didn't start. Sure, getting hit sucks and it hurts, but I did it anyway...it was a good way to release stress. Kids would talk about me due to my awkwardness. Mostly behind my back. The ones that did talk to my face usually got their little pig-tails ripped out or their faces wrapped around the swing-set".
Growing up, June excelled in athletics, and played most sports (Softball, Volleyball, Basketball, Hockey) on her journey through school. June would play on the basketball team for her Alma Mater, the University of Cincinnati. She eventually fell in love with all extreme sports, becoming a very highly regarded competitor. in 2016, June won the SLSA's Season 2 Surfing Championship and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"Of course surfing is a sport, are you kidding me? Have you ever been whacked in the head with a surfboard while getting tossed around by a big wave? Ever been slammed into big rocks? Have you ever had to punch a shark in the face? Well I have! What other sport can you do THAT in?", June says.
Growing up with 2 older brothers who loved professional wrestling, and who would use her as a practice-dummy, June would always have a thing for Pro-Wrestling. She would eventually begin training as a wrestler and hitting the Indie circuit to hone her skills. She would eventually sign with the VWE in late 2018.
A punishing power wrestler who also has a surprisingly effective aerial arsenal to compliment her overall athletic prowess. Some have dubbed her "The Natural Athlete", or "The Concussionista".
June is extremely competitive, and can switch up her style as needed, depending on the competition and situation. Whether it's a good old fashioned regular wrestling match, or an all-out donnybrook, June happily welcomes the challenge.
At 19 years of age, June looks to try and become one of the youngest wrestlers in VWE history to find success.
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