Eight-year-old surfer Maui Barrenientos has always been drawn to the water.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been teaching him how to surf since he was two years old,B次元官网网址� said Marten Barrenientos, MauiB次元官网网址檚 father.
The family was living in Peru, but Barrenientos was in search of a more secure life for his family, and to create more opportunities for his son. Barrenientos explained that the family is half Canadian, so they looked for the best places in Canada for surfing.
B次元官网网址淲e found Sooke, which is near a lot of good surfing spots, and moved out here about two months ago,B次元官网网址� said Barrenientos.
It didnB次元官网网址檛 take long for Maui to get out on the water; He has already been catching waves at multiple beaches, explaining that he loves going to Sombrio Beach, near Port Renfrew, and Tofino.
MauiB次元官网网址檚 favourite part about surfing is gliding a long the barrel of a wave.
B次元官网网址淚 love the barrel of a wave B次元官网网址� the way the water moves, curls over and crashes. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an incredible feeling: peaceful and scary all at the same time,B次元官网网址� he said.
Barrenientos added that it is very difficult to surf inside a barrel, and is dangerous because the water is generally more shallow and near a reef where it curls over.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes itB次元官网网址檚 overwhelming I think. Because he knows if he makes one wrong move, or even turns his board in the slightest, he can fall and be pulled in with the wave,B次元官网网址� said Barrenientos as he revealed a scar on MauiB次元官网网址檚 face from a time he got caught under the water.
B次元官网网址淚t took Maui four years to be able to get in a barrel. ItB次元官网网址檚 not an easy thing to do.B次元官网网址�
Maui trains more than 10 hours a week, whether heB次元官网网址檚 out on the water, at the skate park, or practicing his skills on the ground.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a dance,B次元官网网址� Maui explained as he playfully demonstrated how to pop up on a board, do a B次元官网网址渟urfer squat,B次元官网网址� and move his body to ride a wave.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had to train a lot. To surf, you use muscles that people normally wouldnB次元官网网址檛 use, so it was hard to get used to at first.B次元官网网址�
To improve his skills, Maui also practices yoga and martial arts twice a week.
B次元官网网址淭he yoga and martial arts teach him discipline, balance, and how to stay calm and in control of his emotions,B次元官网网址� said Barrenientos.
Maui recently competed at an international competition in Tofino and placed second out of 11 other surfers in the Under 12 division.
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B次元官网网址淗e didnB次元官网网址檛 think he was going to do well that day, because the waves were so powerful and he had to paddle so much. But he had three really good rides,B次元官网网址� said Barrenientos. B次元官网网址淢aui is very focused when he competes. He loves it.B次元官网网址�
The next competition Maui hopes to compete at is the 2018 Rip Curl Gromsearch Series in California and Florida, so that he can attract sponsors. Once he is 12 years old, he plans to try out for the national team and go to the Olympics.
B次元官网网址淚 want to be a world champion,B次元官网网址� said Maui.
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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