Grom Games: Nicaragua

no.

011

Photos: C. Wilson

There are many trips for young surfers, but very few trips

specifically for groms. Groms get shots now and then, they

sneak onto a boat-trip, they have Nationals and a few specialty

events. But rarely do they get a feature in a mag. SURFING’s

associate photo editor Jimmy Wilson was aware of this cruel

and unusual fact. He also knew there were a few groms in the

14-year-old range, who given the opportunity, would give a

certain wave in Nicaragua some real hell. So he called some

team managers, booked a place, basically arranged the entire

trip, and the boys flew in from California, from Hawaii, from

Barbados. He also knew that groms don’t sit idle. So to fill in

the gaps between surfs, candy, or when the winds turned awry,

he gave them their own Olympic-esque games. They accepted,

wholeheartedly.

The trip couldn’t have gone better. The beachbreak fired

everyday. The groms got their feature, a short film, this

flipbook. They earned it. Sure, they’re the best groms in the

nation. They’ve got the sponsors, win all the Am-contests

and even pro-juniors. But it was something else we saw in

them that separates their kind from the older crop. And why

we’ll being doing another one of these trips next year: Pure,

unjaded stoke. It was refreshing. They were psyched on every-

thing. Getting stuck in a Third World roadblock-protest.

Getting stuck behind a live cattle crossing. Banana smoothies.

Throaty tubes. Wedgy sections. Thunder and lightning. Dawn.

Dusk. Everything was continually new and exciting for them.

Every day. Their energy was infectious and reminded all of us

why we love surfing and furthermore, life itself. So thanks,

groms. Trying to be a grown-up so often — you almost forget.

—SURFING

03

Photo: xxx

04

Kanoa, pointing to the Promised Land, Nicaragua. A 14 year old couldn’t really ask for anything better than that.

05

Griffin, Seth and Kanoa, waiting on the other vehicles.

While waiting on the vehicles, Auntie Tammy (Seth’s mom) thought up a great time killer: Roof strap jumprope. Coolest mom, ever.

06

Photos: C. Wilson

07

Just a half an hour from the wave on Day 1, we rolled into a chaotic jumble of cars. We asked how long before we could pass and some said two hours, and some said 15.

It was our second Nicaraguan road-block that day.

Photo: C. Wilson

08

Photo: C. Wilson

Photo: JimmiCane

09

The roadblock ended up being a workers’ protest on sugar prices.

010

And also a live musical event.

Photos: C. Wilson011

JakeMarshall

Photo: JimiCane 012

Grom pyramid-scheme,

with Managing Editor and grown-up grom, Beau Flemister, bottom middle.

Photo: C. Wilson 013

Griffin Colapinto, carrying on San Clem-ente’s long lasting tuberider legacy.

Photo: C. Wilson015

Photos: JimmiCane 016

Jake and Kanoa.

Kanoa’s technical game was a step above the rest. His pop and balance is well beyond his years.

017

Photo: JimmiCane 018

Although Seth, being a little bigger than most his peers, dominated many of the grom games, Josh snuck by him a couple times.

GRoM GAMES No. 1 — FOOT RACE

019

Jake Marshall


Seth Moniz


Josh got a lot of shit for changing in his towel this way. “Dis how we do

in Barbados, mon!” he’d reply.

JoshBurke

024

Photo: JimmiCane Photo: C. Wilson025

Photos: C. Wilson

Griffin, caught in the headlights.

Pretty sure none of the groms had been in the middle of a cattle crossing.

026

Photos: JimmiCane028

KanoaIgarashi.

029

Photo: C. Wilson

G R I F F I NF l y S

…over sea

030

Photo: JimmiCane

and chlorine.

031

Photo: C. Wilson

Photo: C. Wilson

032

Photo: JimmiCane

JakeMarshall

033

S E T H M O N I z I S A S N E A k y G R O M M E T .

034

sequenCe: JimmiCane

Photo: C. Wilson

S E T H M O N I z I S A S N E A k y G R O M M E T .

035

Photos: JimmiCane

Griffin Colapinto.

Still flying.

037

GRoM GAMES No. 2 — FOOSBAll

038

Photo: C. Wilson039

Photo: JimmiCane

“Who’s banana smoothie is this?” says Seth

“Mine,” says Griffin. Griffin, doing 10 for the wrong word.

040

Photo: C. Wilson

SethMoniz

041

Photo: C. Wilson

Kanoa,

stuntin’ for the babes.

042

Photo: C. Wilson 044

Josh vs. Kanoa.

The longer the leash-stretch, the harder you charged.

045

Photos: JimmiCane

Jake, shredding the face.

046

Jake, putting on his shred-face.

047

sequenCe: C. Wilson

SethMoniz

048

Photos: C. Wilson

S E T H ,U N D E R -C O v E R

050

Standard punishment for losing in ping pong. Better cover both bases, boys.

051

GRoM GAMES No. 3 — SWIM RACE


k A N O A ,O F F A S E C T I O N .

Photos: C. Wilson 054

G R I F F I NO N A S E C T I O N .

055

Griffin broke about four boards that trip, three in the first two days. But he gave it hell.


Jake Marshall

058

Photo: C. Wilson059

“Mon, I tink dat girl is waving at ya.”

Photo: C. Wilson sequenCe: JimmiCane060

“Really!?Where?”

JoshBurke

Photo: C. Wilson061

Jake snuck in a win with a clutch elimination final round clencher.


GRoM GAMES No. 4 — FANTA PONG

063

Griffin Colapinto

064

“I think you missed a spot.”


Photo: JimmiCane

Seth Moniz is on his way to being the next big thing from Hawaii. Winter season pre-gaming.

066

Common Grom Behavior

S--t Talking Running

068

Peeing Frothing


Photos: C. Wilson

JakeMarshall

070

JakeMarshall

JoshBurke

071

Photo: JimmiCane Photo: JimmiCane

072

Photo: C. Wilson Photo: JimmiCane

Photo: JimmiCane

Nicabreaks boards…

…But a grom will not be broken.

073

Photo: C. Wilson

Auntie Tammy brought a 1lb. tub of sour ropes. And they were gone by Day 3.

074

Photo: JimmiCane

KanoaIgarashi

075

GRoM GAMES No. 5 — PING PONG

076

Photo: JimmiCane077

Photos: JimmiCane

Jake Marshall

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Griffin Colapinto

079

Photos: JimmiCane

GriffinColapinto

081

Photo: C. Wilson

Fly

082

Photos: C. Wilson

Run

Breathe Win

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SethMoniz

084

SURFING Magazine, sometimes better with candy.

SethMoniz


k A N O A , S T y l I S H I N M A N S I O N … A N D I N C A v E .

086

k A N O A , S T y l I S H I N M A N S I O N … A N D I N C A v E .


G R O M SW A l kO NW A T E R .

Seth Moniz.


Jake Marshall, backside long jump.


GRoM GAMES No. 6 — lONG JUMP


Photos: C. Wilson 092

KanoaIgarashi

093

Good. Clean. Fun.

GRoM GAMES No. 7 — FANTA CHUG

Photo: C. Wilson

094

Photo: JimmiCane

095

Seth is not old enough for a license.

096

But boy can he drive.


Photos: C. Wilson

Thank you for

Grom Games: Nicaragua

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