By Jake Howard
Big ups this week to San Clemente’s Harper Olenik, who’s been crushing it among the Western Surfing Association ranks over the past month. Most recently, 9-year-old Harper ventured north to Morro Bay for stop No. 4 of the Salt Life Championship season and took out the Micro Grom Girls U10 division.
Earlier in the month, Harper was in San Diego for another WSA event, where she finished runner-up to good friend Teagen Sandvig in the Micro Grom Girls U10 division.
In September, when the Rip Curl WSL Finals was in town, Harper, one of the most surf-stoked groms in the community, participated in the Rising Tides program, which brings the world’s top professional surfers together with aspiring young girls and empowers them to get in the water together.

But more than just coming down to the beach for a surf, Harper’s made her own autograph book, complete with photos that she’s printed and pasted in. (Who says surf mags are dead? )
During the WSL Finals, she spent time getting her favorite surfers’ signatures and chatting them up. Stoked to inspire the next generation, everyone from eight-time world champ Stephanie Gilmore to four-time world champ Carissa Moore got in on the action.
A talented, stylish regular-footer brimming with stoke, Harper deserves a big congrats on her recent contest accomplishments and thanks for always keeping the vibes up.
If you have a candidate for Grom of the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com.
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