Gizzy grommets rip it up in Summer Slam

Summer Slam grommets in action. Pictures by @exposurecinematography

MAKO Fukushima and Rori Fukushima were the big winners at the Boardroom Summer Slam at the Pines on Sunday.

The brothers went home with a LOST carbon wrap Quiver Killer surfboard, which retails at $1200.

“Each year the board is awarded to a grommet who shows all the qualities of a true Kiwi beach kid: having fun, being positive, big smiles, aroha, loving the beach and surf, and manaakitanga,” said Tommy Dalton who, with his wife Hayley, organised the event with the help of a lot of others.

“The boys are not only at the beach all the time, surfing, they are both very gracious, kind and well deserving of this prize,” Hayley said.

The morning started with a solid stream of grommets and parents flowing down the steps from the Pines carpark to the beach.

“The conditions were 100 percent Gizzy gold,” Tommy said.

“Small, clean, warm waves welcomed the grommets and the day started with the youngest and biggest division (100 aproximately), the under 10s.

“The youngest surfers set the benchmark for the day with long-running peeling lefts and rights being shredded from out the back right to the sand.

“Each year the standard of surfing is getting better and better. It’s epic.”

The Daltons have run the Summer Slam for nine consecutive years and Tommy said the event continued to grow each year.

“This year was another example of the community coming together to start the summer surf season with a boost.

“It’s essentially a competition but the emphasis is on having fun and making friends, for surfers of all abilities from first-time frothers to salty-as rippers.

“We had about 200 kids entered.”

The Daltons said the event could not run without the help of many people who sponsor this event: Marcus Allan for the sausages, Primo the drinks, Skullcandy and Hydrosurf the cool products, and Jordan Perry and Shawn Royster from Exposure, who filmed the event all day in the blazing sun.

“We also have huge help from parents and grandparents who help out in the water and on the sand. We couldn’t have done it without them,” Hayley said.