Youngsters Add Life To West Java Surf Scene

Wearing only his black Quiksilver trunks, Dede Fauzi Rahmatullah eased into the water at Cikembang Beach on Saturday morning.

Toting a green and yellow surfboard seemingly too heavy for his 8-year-old body to carry and taller than his one-meter frame, he paddled away from the beach in search of his own waves.

Soon, a one-foot wave to his liking rolled in. As the wave started pushing his board, Dede slowly rose from a prone position to standing, keeping his balance the whole time. He rode the wave to cheers from fellow Surf Culture Club Indonesia members until he wiped out from hitting the beach.

Among the 15 SCCI members was Rian Hidayatullah, Dede’s brother. The group made the 15-kilometer trip to Cikembang after finding few good waves that morning at their usual spot, Sunset Beach at Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java.

Dede and Rian are among 52 children between ages 8 and 17 receiving surfing lessons at SCCI. Surfing is definitely in the brothers’ blood as their father is Mumuh Syamsul Bahri, the SCCI founder and local surfing legend.

Dede, who started hitting the waves at age 6, said he is no longer afraid of the waves at Pelabuhan Ratu, a spot known for its dangerous waves.

“I used to feel afraid when entering the sea. I was afraid the waves would take me away, but slowly I got to like it,” he said.

Even at his tender age, Dede said he has lost count of how many times he has almost drowned.

That has not kept him from the sea, though, as he practices before and after school every day and has won several local tournaments.

Big brother Rian, 14, is considered the next big thing in the Indonesian surfing scene. He finished fourth at the 2008 Quiksilver King of the Groms and was runner-up at the 2008 Volcom’s Helifish Surf Series, both held at Cimaja Beach.

His next competition will be qualifying for the Billabong West Java Pro from May 20 to 23, also at Cimaja.

“I want to be the king of all surfers. My favorite surfer is Garut, he is a goofy-footer and prefers small waves just like me,” said Rian, who started surfing at age 9.

Garut is the nickname of Balinese surfer I Made Widiarta, who recently turned professional after winning two gold medals at the Asian Beach Games and the junior pro division of the 2008 Indonesia Surfing Championship tour.

Like Dede, Rian has had his share of hair-raising experiences in the water.

“I love surfing so much,” Rian said.

“Many times I’ve been swept away by the waves, but I’m back in the water the day after.

“The most terrifying thing happened as I was paddling one day, when a big fish suddenly came out of water. We looked at each other’s eyes before it finally jumped across me and swam away. It was as big as my board. I was so shocked, I just stayed on the beach the whole day.”

The surfing talent is not limited to their family. Andre Julian, 14, is also shining in local competition.

Andre, who started surfing as an 8-year-old, has collected three national junior championship titles, winning the 2006 Ripcurl GromSearch and Quiksilver King of the Groms and Volcom’s Helifish Surf Series in 2008. He said his role models include 2007 world champion Mick Fanning and nine-time world tour winner Kelly Slater.

Andre’s performances earned him several sponsorship offers, and he signed his first-ever contract with Quiksilver, a surfing apparel company, in January.

“They gave me two boards and supply me with clothing every three months, but not money. I’m so happy,” he said.

One link between the three young surfers is their coach, Mumuh. Six SCCI members, including 18-year-old Ende Supriatna Monot, have signed sponsorship contracts.

“They have the talent to become the country’s world class pro surfers,” Mumuh said. “But lots of those kids come from poor families and drop out of school. I hope the government will pay more attention to these talented kids’ education, maybe by giving them scholarships.”

In addition to furthering their development on the waves, Mumuh also provides an academic boost by calling in a teacher to help the kids learn English.

“It will be useful for them. The most important thing is they have to learn new skills,” he said.

Until then, the youngsters join their club mates on the water, hoping to find the waves that will take them to fame and fortune one day. Photo: Surf Culture Club Indonesia member Dede Fauzi Rahmatullah, 8, riding waves at Cikembang Beach, Pelabuhan Ratu.

(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on April 14, 2009. Photo: Dedy Maryanto/JG)