A wild childhood dream came true for over 100 Gold and Tweed Coast kids as they were plucked from their classrooms by the world’s best surfers and taken surfing.

A dozen of the world’s top pros, including World Champs Mick Fanning and CJ Hobgood, provided feedback and tips in the waves of Duranbah on the Queensland / NSW border.

Photo: Shield/WPS

2007 World Champ Mick Fanning explains: “It’s a way we can give back to the kids, give them that contact, inspire them, get involved and just have a blast, it was so much fun.”

The day was put on by the surfers themselves — through the athletes’ union, World Professional Surfers — to give back to the community that welcomes them each season as they arrive from around the world for the first event of the World Tour season, the Quiksilver Pro.

“Ha, I cannot believe it, I just went surfing with (2001 World Champ) CJ Hobgood!” said Dexter Muskens of Coolangatta.

The budding grommets came from schools all over the Gold and Tweed Coasts and are all members of local board-riding clubs.

Current World Number 2 Bede Durbidge, children hanging off him like Christmas ornaments, said: “It stokes me out to do this, this is what it’s all about, the simplicity of the whole thing, just enjoying the waves and having a laugh, some of these grommets are going to be real good too.”

The day was put together with the support of Kirra Surfriders Club and the Mitchell Surfing Foundation.