Curran Dand. Photo by Rusty Melanson
By Andrea Swayne
Curran Dand
Age: 12, Shorecliffs Middle School
Curran Dand is in his second year on the Shorecliffs Middle School surf team and is preparing for the start of SSS competition. He is also competing in the WSA Championship series this season and is currently ranked No. 18 of 54 in Boys U14.
This summer, Curran made two podium appearances taking second—behind older brother Conner—at the San Clemente Ocean Festival and earning a sixth-place finish at the Gudauskas brothers’ Stoke-o-Rama contest at T Street.
Curran says he likes competition both for the challenge and the camaraderie of his friends and fellow surfers.
Lately he has been working on performing more on-rail carves, bigger power turns and wave selection.
In school, Curran is an ‘A’ and ‘B’ student whose favorite subject is math. He has yet to see a report card this school year but finished last year with all ‘As’ and one ‘B.’
“Obviously I’d like to be a pro surfer one day but my back-up plan is to become a chiropractor like my dad,” he said. “My dad’s career lets him to spend time with us surfing, traveling and taking us to contests. I also like the idea of helping people be healthy and enjoy their lives more.”
Curran would like to thank his dad and brother for their coaching and Garth Day of G-Day Surfboards for making boards that work well for him.
“I’d also like to thank my mom for waking up early to take me to before school sessions,’ he said.
