Twin Fifth Graders to Compete in Revolt Summer Surf Series

Imperial Beach residents Jack and Pete Stewart will be back in the water this weekend for the Revolt Summer Surf Series in Pacific Beach.

With two competitions to go in the four-part series, Jack is currently second in the Groms division. 

In their second year in professional competitions, the twin fifth graders have also started to make trips to beaches across Southern California to particate in National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) competitions.

After two competitions, Jack is now seventh in points in the NSSA Southwest Super Groms division.

"Seventh out of 20 or so good kids that can ride, surf and move their little boards around," said father Erick Stewart. "That's not bad."

At the end of the season, top point earners can make it to regional and national competitions.

"It's just like a little hard cause you only have 15 minutes most of the time to surf and do good," Jack said. "Its really fun, especially when you go around to a lot of places. It's just fun cause you can get air and do a lot of fun things."

When the 10-year-old students aren't fishing on the pier, playing with friends or studying math, they can be found catching IB waves.

Erick taught them to surf, starting with boogy boards and longboards, and watching worldwide competitions with their favorite surfers like Kelly Slater and Nick Fanny.

"I've practically seen them surf everywhere," Pete said.

Both his boys are still shy, Erick said, but they aren't afraid to compete against other surfers, or each other. 

"They've always been really competitive since they were starting," he said. "One does really good and the other has to be like, 'I'm better than you.' But they're really good boys.

I tell them 'You don't have to compete between you two. You can support each other,'" Erick said. "And then they do. I think it's a teen kind of thing."

Pete earned the nickname "Sweet Pete" because he's a sweet kid, Erick said. Friends call Jack "A.J."

Jack likes to surf in Mexico, Black's Beach and Enicinitas, but "of course one of my favorite places is my home break over here in IB."

Pete hopes to surf Indonesia, Hawaii and Mexican points someday.

"Before I used to push them in and make sure they're ok but not they just take off and go for it," Erick said.

The Stewarts are still looking for sponsors to help cover some of the entry fee and travel costs.

"If you're not sponsored, it's expensive cause you have to pay for your membership and every event is $60 multiply that by 20. It gets expensive," Erick said.

Sponsors may not see IB surfers as often as they see talent in other California cities, Erick said, but he's happy to get his boys up to competitions in other parts of the region.

"A lot of kids down here next to the border, they don't shine. They just stay here," he said.