DP SURF
DP SURF
Grom of the YEAR Griffin Colapinto
5
SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY
DP
D a n a Po i nt
Age: 13, California Virtual Academy Griffin Colapinto had a banner year in 2011. He won the NSSA Western Championship Open Juniors title, took fourth in Boys at NSSA Nationals, finished the 2010/2011 Surfing America Prime season ranked No. 4 in Boys U14 and was appointed to the PacSun USA Surf Team. In 2011/2012 Prime competition Griffin has made podium appearances at both contests so far. At the September Seaside Reef contest he took second in Boys U14 and followed up at Church’s in October by winning both U14 and U16. He currently holds the No.1 spot in both divisions. He won the U12 Rip Curl GromSearch Nationals in November, was chosen for the Kelly Slater-mentored Daphne’s California Greek surf team and is now ranked No. 1 in NSSA Open Juniors. He recently returned from training in Hawaii with DC Shoes and will return in February with Billabong. In March Griffin will train with Team USA in Costa Rica and then in April it’s on to Panama for the ISA World Junior Championship. Griffin Colapinto. Courtesy photo He has successfully balanced travel with school and is maintaining a 3.8 GPA. He takes his role as a big brother seriously as well, acting as an encouraging motivator for his younger brother Crosby. Hard work and dedication have made 2011 a pivotal year in this young surfer’s amateur career and created a momentum that is sure to catapult him toward great things in the future. He will definitely be one to watch in 2012. —Andrea Swayne
A Look Back is a Look Ahead
SURF RESULTS NSSA Southwest Conference Open Event No. 7, Dec. 17-18, Cardiff by the Sea, Seaside Reef Local finishers only. MEN: 2. Trevor Thornton, San Clemente. JUNIORS: 1. Griffin Colapinto, San Clemente; 4. Colt Ward, San Clemente 7.23. MINI GROMS: 3. Kade Matson, San Clemente. WOMEN: 3. Tia Blanco, San Clemente.
The future of surfing is bright thanks to young local talent By Andrea Swayne Dana Point Times
E
ach week the DP Times features one young local surfer—with a few bodyboarders and skateboarders in the mix—via our Grom of the Week profiles. These stories introduce readers to the budding surf careers of local grommets (groms for short) as well as providing a brief look at their academic talents, interests beyond surfing and dreams for the future. In this special “looking back” edition we are honoring the future of surfing with one more look at all of the Groms of the Week for 2011. DP
Taj Lindblad
Teresa O’Connor
Scott Weinhardt
Mason Shaw
Kloee Openshaw
Eric Blaes
Colt Ward
Malaya Ring
Emmy Merrill
Liam Walsh
Garrett Eslick
Brandon Hoffman
Kolohe Andino
Max Eberle
Wyatt Brady
Madi Swayne
Rio Donaldson
Cole Houshmand
Josh Seres
Kevin Schulz
Rachael Tilly
Dylan Cox
Ian Crane
Tai Stratton
David Levy
Kyle Perez
Tory Gilkerson
Colton Overin
Corey Colapinto
Noah Hohenester
Sebastian Mendes
Kaeden Carabba
Nick Melanson
Nathan Carabba
Kaylee Crump
Michael Tilly
Jadon Smith
Malia Osterkamp
Eric Weinhardt
Shane Stavron
Colin Deveze
Erik Buell
Lucas Taub
Shane Hardy
Myah Bradshaw
Brandon Hawkins
Malia Mauch
Elenna “Lulu” Erkeneff
Kirra Pinkerton
Kaila Patterson
Dana Point Times December 23, 2011–January 5, 2012
Page 18
UPCOMING EVENTS December 17-18: NSSA Southwest Conference Open Event No. 7, Cardiff by the Sea, Seaside Reef January 7-8: WSA Gatorade Championship Tour Event No. 6, Midget Smith Pier Rat Challenge, San Clemente, Pier January 7-8: NSSA Southwest Conference Open Event No. 8, Dana Point, Salt Creek January 14: NSSA Southwest Conference Explorer Event No. 5, Huntington Beach, Pier
Surf ForecasT Water temp: 58-61˚F Water visibility and conditions: San Clemente: 10-20’+ Good; Catalina: 30-40’+ Good Remarks: A small mix of Northwest and SouthSouthwest swells is on tap for Thursday. Surge is light and visibility is good, setting up pretty good diving conditions overall. Short range: Surf size is 2-3’+(knee-waistchest high) for most of the region on Thursday, with a few rare larger peaks for top winter exposures around the correct tides. Light winds keep the surf clean and generally fair overall. A more sizeable new SSW groundswell starts to move in on Friday, mixing with small/easing NW swell. Size starts the day in the 2-3’+(knee-chest high) range, with larger sets for top Southerly exposures by the afternoon. Morning winds are light offshore for clean conditions. Long range: A fun combo of SSW swell and minor NW swell is on offer for the Holiday Weekend. Size for better exposures is in the 34’+(waist-shoulder high) range at good breaks on Saturday, with a few larger sets for top exposures. Size holds steady on Sunday, with clean conditions setting up through the morning. Stay tuned to Surfline.com for updates.
www.danapointtimes.com
Grom of the YEAR Griffin Colapinto
5
SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY
DP
D a n a Po i nt
Age: 13, California Virtual Academy Griffin Colapinto had a banner year in 2011. He won the NSSA Western Championship Open Juniors title, took fourth in Boys at NSSA Nationals, finished the 2010/2011 Surfing America Prime season ranked No. 4 in Boys U14 and was appointed to the PacSun USA Surf Team. In 2011/2012 Prime competition Griffin has made podium appearances at both contests so far. At the September Seaside Reef contest he took second in Boys U14 and followed up at Church’s in October by winning both U14 and U16. He currently holds the No.1 spot in both divisions. He won the U12 Rip Curl GromSearch Nationals in November, was chosen for the Kelly Slater-mentored Daphne’s California Greek surf team and is now ranked No. 1 in NSSA Open Juniors. He recently returned from training in Hawaii with DC Shoes and will return in February with Billabong. In March Griffin will train with Team USA in Costa Rica and then in April it’s on to Panama for the ISA World Junior Championship. Griffin Colapinto. Courtesy photo He has successfully balanced travel with school and is maintaining a 3.8 GPA. He takes his role as a big brother seriously as well, acting as an encouraging motivator for his younger brother Crosby. Hard work and dedication have made 2011 a pivotal year in this young surfer’s amateur career and created a momentum that is sure to catapult him toward great things in the future. He will definitely be one to watch in 2012. —Andrea Swayne
A Look Back is a Look Ahead
SURF RESULTS NSSA Southwest Conference Open Event No. 7, Dec. 17-18, Cardiff by the Sea, Seaside Reef Local finishers only. MEN: 2. Trevor Thornton, San Clemente. JUNIORS: 1. Griffin Colapinto, San Clemente; 4. Colt Ward, San Clemente 7.23. MINI GROMS: 3. Kade Matson, San Clemente. WOMEN: 3. Tia Blanco, San Clemente.
The future of surfing is bright thanks to young local talent By Andrea Swayne Dana Point Times
E
ach week the DP Times features one young local surfer—with a few bodyboarders and skateboarders in the mix—via our Grom of the Week profiles. These stories introduce readers to the budding surf careers of local grommets (groms for short) as well as providing a brief look at their academic talents, interests beyond surfing and dreams for the future. In this special “looking back” edition we are honoring the future of surfing with one more look at all of the Groms of the Week for 2011. DP
Taj Lindblad
Teresa O’Connor
Scott Weinhardt
Mason Shaw
Kloee Openshaw
Eric Blaes
Colt Ward
Malaya Ring
Emmy Merrill
Liam Walsh
Garrett Eslick
Brandon Hoffman
Kolohe Andino
Max Eberle
Wyatt Brady
Madi Swayne
Rio Donaldson
Cole Houshmand
Josh Seres
Kevin Schulz
Rachael Tilly
Dylan Cox
Ian Crane
Tai Stratton
David Levy
Kyle Perez
Tory Gilkerson
Colton Overin
Corey Colapinto
Noah Hohenester
Sebastian Mendes
Kaeden Carabba
Nick Melanson
Nathan Carabba
Kaylee Crump
Michael Tilly
Jadon Smith
Malia Osterkamp
Eric Weinhardt
Shane Stavron
Colin Deveze
Erik Buell
Lucas Taub
Shane Hardy
Myah Bradshaw
Brandon Hawkins
Malia Mauch
Elenna “Lulu” Erkeneff
Kirra Pinkerton
Kaila Patterson
Dana Point Times December 23, 2011–January 5, 2012
Page 18
UPCOMING EVENTS December 17-18: NSSA Southwest Conference Open Event No. 7, Cardiff by the Sea, Seaside Reef January 7-8: WSA Gatorade Championship Tour Event No. 6, Midget Smith Pier Rat Challenge, San Clemente, Pier January 7-8: NSSA Southwest Conference Open Event No. 8, Dana Point, Salt Creek January 14: NSSA Southwest Conference Explorer Event No. 5, Huntington Beach, Pier
Surf ForecasT Water temp: 58-61˚F Water visibility and conditions: San Clemente: 10-20’+ Good; Catalina: 30-40’+ Good Remarks: A small mix of Northwest and SouthSouthwest swells is on tap for Thursday. Surge is light and visibility is good, setting up pretty good diving conditions overall. Short range: Surf size is 2-3’+(knee-waistchest high) for most of the region on Thursday, with a few rare larger peaks for top winter exposures around the correct tides. Light winds keep the surf clean and generally fair overall. A more sizeable new SSW groundswell starts to move in on Friday, mixing with small/easing NW swell. Size starts the day in the 2-3’+(knee-chest high) range, with larger sets for top Southerly exposures by the afternoon. Morning winds are light offshore for clean conditions. Long range: A fun combo of SSW swell and minor NW swell is on offer for the Holiday Weekend. Size for better exposures is in the 34’+(waist-shoulder high) range at good breaks on Saturday, with a few larger sets for top exposures. Size holds steady on Sunday, with clean conditions setting up through the morning. Stay tuned to Surfline.com for updates.
www.danapointtimes.com
