Editor’s note: This story was powered by our friends at Wienerschnitzel.
When I was a kid, much like many Southern California toe heads, my brother and I had a program. During the school year, we’d squeeze a surf session in before school if mom or dad were willing to drive us to the beach, get home, finish homework, and hit it again in the afternoon if the wind hadn’t already torn the waves to bits. And during the summer – with the weight of academics lifted – long days were spent at the beach roasting under the sun, only taking breaks from surfing to satisfy a biological need for calories.
It goes without saying that groms are high energy, and if you look around most lineups from June to August it also becomes obvious that the grom program has hardly changed over the years. Packs of ’em can be found from Lowers to Blacks cackling, egging each other on, and having an absolute blast.
It’s precisely that pure enthusiasm that propelled Wienerschnitzel, yes that Wienerschnitzel, to create a surf team comprised entirely of some of California’s best up-and-comers. They often meet up for free surfs, compete against each other in events, and (we guess) grind on corn dogs whenever the mood strikes.
Wienerschnitzel’s team consists of 13-year-old Caitlin Simmers, an ISA World Junior Champion, 16-year-old Kirra Pinkerton, the reigning WSL Women’s World Junior Champion, and 13-year-old ripper Lucas Owston. Tanner Waite, 22, is the crew’s elder statesman and ringleader. In his words, he’s instructing the teens in the merits of good sportsmanship as much as he’s hooting them into macking drainers.
With Wienerschnitzel behind ’em, these kids are bringing new meaning to the term, “hot dogging.”
