Name
- Summer Romero
Age - 24
Hometown - San
Diego, CA
Sponsors - Hawaiian
Pro Designs, O'fish'l
fins, Blala
Wetsuits, Bob's
Mission Surf Shop
Stance - Goofy
Surfboards/Shapers
– 9'0" (In the Pink, Noah, Speed Shape,
Slater), 5'5" Twin, 5'3" Fish (to name
a few)- all boards shaped by Donald
Takayama of Hawaiian
Pro Designs
Career Highlights
- 2004 Women's World Longboard Champion, 2005
US Champion, Three time Hello Kitty Boardfest
winner
Summer Romero Story &
Interview conducted by Kyla Langen in Cardiff-by-the-Sea,
California
 Surfing
is lucky to have a Summer Romero. Right when you
think our surf community is becoming one big monoculture,
you meet someone who stirs up the pot. Born and
raised in Lakeside, California, the aspiring nurse
brings diversity of background, interests, and
character to surfing culture. With a polished
balance of smoothness and power, Summer is a pleasure
and inspiration to watch. Smart and confident,
she verified her skills by winning both National
and World Longboard titles, all before age 23.
Yet surfing isn't all she sees. Currently attending
San Diego State University, Summer is studying
to become a nurse. She's intriguing, she's skilled,
she's the October JettyGirl. Check out Summer
Romero…
Kyla Langen: Let's get to
know Summer, shall we? Summer who?
Summer Romero: Summer Noel
Romero
KL: Where is Romero from?
SR: It's from my dad. Ha,
no, yeah, my dad's side, so I'm like half Mexican…
which most people don't realize until they hear
my last name, 'cause I don't look Mexican.
KL:
So your mom is…?
SR: … a little Italian, and Caucasian, white
girl.
KL: Do you have the full
on Latino family then?
SR: My dad's side yeah,
big Latino family.
KL: Hablas espanol?
SR: No.
KL: No? Not at all?
SR: No, not really. They
didn't teach me growing up. I wish they had…
KL: It's never too late
to learn. Where did you grow up?
SR: San Diego. Born and
raised. I used to live in Lakeside actually, which
is like 30 minutes inland of Pacific Beach. I
lived there the first twelve years of my life,
and it's like white trash area, so it's kinda
surprising I became a surfer. But now I live in
La Mesa, a little closer to the beach.
KL: When did you start surfing?
SR: I think I started when
I was thirteen. I've been surfing for like 9 or
10 years.
KL: How did you get into
it?
SR: My dad's friend was
a surfer and he took me out, and I was just instantly
addicted, instant passion and love for it. So
I begged my dad for a crappy board and begged
him to let me do Jr. Lifeguards so I could be
at the beach all day.
KL: Nice. Did you start
on a longboard?
SR: No, actually I started
shortboarding, like a full 80's board. It was
probably 50 bucks, if that, got it used and taught
myself how to surf. I actually taught myself at
Tourmaline, which is a full longboard wave. I
didn't know the difference; all I knew was like
'Lisa Anderson, wow, I want to shortboard.' But
then everyone started making fun of me for shortboarding,
so I tried longboarding and just fell in love
with it.
KL: How funny. Do you ever
shortboard now?
SR: A little bit, very rarely,
maybe if I steal your board when you're out. I
don't really have a full shortboard, I have like
twinnies and hybrid type boards, but I want to
get a shortboard and start going more.
Summer Romero
Interview | 1
| 2 |
3 | 4
| 5 |
|
|
