Another epic Grom Contest is in the books! Our 26th annual T&C Grom Contest presented by Duke’s took place at Queens, Waikiki, on June 1st and 2nd with epic surf and perfect weather. Queens, the birthplace of modern surfing, blessed us with two days of pumping surf for the kids. The wave at Queens couldn’t be more suited for the groms with its inviting take-off to its mellow roll towards the beach. 

The format of the T&C Grom Contest Day keeps the vibe fun. The event only allows kids to participate who have yet to progress in the amateur surf rankings, such as the Hawaii Surfing Association(HSA) or the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA). This allows kids to get a feel for competing while mastering skills like time management in a heat, wave selection, and getting used to rules such as not dropping in on other competitors. Those that place in the top spots of their heat continue to the next round of competition. 

One ohana that has made this a yearly tradition for quite some time is Rosie Vierra-Schoening and family. She states, “We've been coming since my daughter was a baby and she’s done the Kokua division since she was old enough and came every year all the way up until this year! This year, she ages out, so this is her last T&C Grom. My whole family and halal came to support. This event is definitely a family tradition for us; whether she places it or not, just being a part of it is the best part. We stay from 6 am to 6 pm.” Rosie’s family’s roots run deep at this very spot, where her grandfather and uncles are beach boys and still run the canoes there. “This place is special to us; it’s our stomping grounds. My daughter and I both grew up playing and surfing here, from Walls to Canoes. A lot of the kids that grew up here are like our family, and Queens Beach is the perfect setting for this event. This is where it all starts and continues, as T&C always says, ‘Deeply rooted in the culture,’ and that’s what this event is.”

This event could not have happened without the hard work of our beloved staff, our beautiful surfing ohana across the islands, and our presenting sponsor Duke’s Waikiki, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Hawai’i, Freesurf Magazine, Dakine, GoPro, Futures, Vans, RVCA and many more that continue to support this special event. T&C President Ryan Sugihara sums it up by saying, “I am super stoked that our 26th Annual T&C Surf Grom Contest was a success and that we were blessed with such good waves for the kids! I know our staff, sponsors, and all the people involved have the best intentions in putting on a fun event for all the participants and families. Our driving force each year is to spread joy and share the stoke with as many kids and families as possible, bringing smiles to their faces. Mahalo to everyone who had a hand in helping to make this event possible, and a special thanks to our T&C staff and my family, too!”