Swell girls

This pair of surfing sisters has their eyes on careers near the waves. Varsha Venugopalan meets them.
Wading into an uncharacteristally raging sea at Long Bay, 14-year-old twins Gaby and Bianca Sansom hope more New Zealand girls will follow them.
Surfing in competitions from the age of 10, these twins hit the waves in about 15 competitions every year. Recently returned from the TSB Women's Surfing Festival in the Taranaki, Bianca says: "It's always a great way to learn from our competitors' moves."
The Long Bay College students juggle surfing and competitions with their schoolwork to ensure their marks ride as high as their surfing.
Gaby explains they do their homework at school or between surfs so they're free to catch waves every weekend. Their mother, Lynn Sansom, says, "They never get sick of it, and I never get sick of watching them."
They took to surfing when they were 8-year-olds because of dad Mike Sansom's enthusiasm.
They have come a long way since then and want to go a lot further. Their choices include becoming pro-juniors, international champions or careers related to surfing. Gaby might try physiotherapy for surfers, while Bianca is interested in photography.
The young Sansoms hope to see the number of female surfers in New Zealand increase. Kiwi surf stars like Paige Hareb have opened doors, and the twins would like to see more girls sharing their passion.
Their long-term plan is to open a surfing school for girls. They admit there's a long way to go before that can happen. Says Bianca: "That's why this is a big year for us."
They will both go to Australia for two weeks in June for professional training.
Surfing can be pricey. Nevertheless, their mother says the family will do whatever it takes for the girls to pursue their passions.
Billabong sponsors the girls for two free wetsuits a year. Friends of their father also supply surfboards at discounted rates.
Both parents work hard to pay for the twins' overseas competitions.
The family plans to raise more money by holding fundraisers, selling some surfing prizes to raise money for travelling or by selling old boards to pay for new ones.
Their mother adds they may move closer to a beach that has better waves for surfing than Long Bay.
The girls enjoy shortboarding more than longboarding (see panel) because it is more energetic.
Asked for their advice to budding boarders, Bianca says: "It's about giving it your 100 per cent effort in everything."
And Gaby reckons it's important not to let one mistake get you down.
Long and short of it
Shortboarding requires a 1.8-2m surfboard for manoeuvrability on taller, steeper waves. It has a sharp  nose with a rounded or squarish tail. Typically, it has three or more fins.
To longboard you need a 2.7-3.6m board with a long nose. This allows a surfer to walk to the tip when on a wave. It is good for beginners as its size makes it easier to catch
waves.