KL:
How come longboarding is still your thing?
SR: It's so much more fun
to me than shortboarding. It's such a relaxed
type of thing, just the flow; you can't get it
anywhere else. I don't know like, hanging 5 or
10 is the ultimate for me; it just feels so good,
more so than a cutback ever could.
KL: According to our secret
sources, you're a bit of a Disney fanatic, especially
a fan of Mickey Mouse. What's up with ole Mickey?
SR: I used to go to Disneyland
for my birthdays when I was a kid, so I grew up
with that like, fantasy, fun ordeal, with the
family and stuff. And for some reason, me, my
mom and my sisters the past two years have gotten
into going back. And it's something really fun
for us to do as a family, we just run around all
day and act like kids and fools. And my mom loves
Mickey, so I just put that down. It's just fun
and silly. It's good to be silly and not too serious
all the time.
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"Not only does she rip, she's my best friend! She pretty
much is as good as a friend as she is a
surfer. A champ! Solid, all around."
-Malia Fuertes
"Summer has more talent, style, and
grace than any longboarder I have ever seen.
I learn so much when I surf with her. I
wish everyone could be so lucky to grow
up surfing with Summer as I did. "
-Leah Dawson
|
KL:
True. Were you conceived in Summer?
SR: No I wasn't, and my mom's not a hippie either,
I get that too. April, April 9th. She just liked
the name, she thought it was unique because it
kinda was.
KL: How long have you been
competing on your surfboard?
SR: Um, probably seven or
eight years. Professionally since like 2000.
KL: Can you brag for us
about some results you've gotten?
SR: I've been really lucky,
done pretty good the last couple years. My best
results are probably 2004 World Longboard Champ
and 2005 US Champ. 
KL: Rad. And the Boardfest
recently…
SR: Yeah, Huntington has
treated me well, I've won the Boardfest the past
3 years, and that's where the world championship
was in ’04.
KL: Do you feel like the
dark horse when you compete?
SR: Well I used to be the
full on underdog; nobody would ever expect me
to win. I'd just show up and not have to talk
to anybody. Contests for me have always been fun,
just cruising with friends type of thing. I don't
take it as seriously as people probably think
I do because I just show up for the contest, do
my heat and that's it; don't really have to talk
about it.
KL: So, you're studying
to be a nurse. What’s your favorite thing
about nursing?
SR: That's a hard question;
there are so many different reasons why I like
the nursing profession. The people interaction,
but on a different level, where you're actually
helping somebody and they need your help. I'm
really into physiology and the mechanics of how
drugs work, and different receptors and organs
and how it all plays. It's almost like piecing
puzzles together. It's really cool, especially
when you get a really hard patient. You're not
the doctor, but as a nurse you have a lot of responsibility
to catch something if the doctor misses it. You
play a big role in someone's health as a nurse.
And as a surfer, for my lifestyle, working 3 days
a week full time, it's just a really good job
for me.
KL: How long have you known
you wanted to be a nurse?
SR: Um, not that long, maybe
3 years. I was doing general education at the
Jr. College and finally realized that nursing
was a good path. So I started doing the prerequisites
for that, which takes a good year and half, then
you have to apply to the program which is gnarly
because it's so competitive in Southern California
to get into a nursing program, like 2-3 year wait
lists. I was lucky, I got into San Diego State
'cause they do it by a point system, and I got
in for good grades and other things, I'm stoked.
KL: Do you love seeing blood
and guts?
SR: It was hard for me at
first, but I'm getting more and more used it.
KL: Are you gonna become
a nurse right after you graduate?
SR: That's a toss up. I
don't know if I want to take a 6 month leave and
go travel, or just go straight into it. I'm definitely
a traveler. I love it. I need to go places, so
we'll see.
Summer Romero
Interview | 1
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5 | 
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