Mike Sandusky grew up on a farm in southwestern Ontario, Canada and was involved in many sports including competitive swimming. His hobby of body surfing on the Great Lakes fuelled an interest in surfing, and Mike learned to surf in Hawaii upon completing a Commerce Degree at the University of Guelph.
Since graduating, Mike has dedicated himself to surfing and traveling and has surfed over 200 breaks around the world from Pipeline to Raglan. He has surfed extensively in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and Costa Rica but still loves surfing at home on the Great Lakes.
Mike has a thorough understanding of the learning process and the progressions needed
to become a competent surfer at any age. He started teaching surfing lessons on
the Great Lakes in 2002 and Surf Ontario was officially born as a way for Mike to
share his passion and dispel the myth that you “cannot ride waves on a lake”. In
2005 the Surf Ontario web page was developed and Mike now teaches surfing and stand-
Mike has completed his Lifesaving and Bronze Cross as well as his certification in Standard First Aid and CPR. To learn more about Mike’s fitness training background and credentials, click here.
Grant Kennedy was born and raised in South Africa, surfing the famous breaks of the east coast of Durban and Jeffrey’s Bay. Seven years ago, Grant moved to Ontario and began surfing the lakes to keep fuelling his stoke for surfing.
Grant is truly passionate about surfing and getting others involved and specializes in teaching Stand Up Paddle Surfing Lessons. His infectious smile and accent will ensure you have a great lesson and add more fun to the experience. Grant has vast product knowledge and is very current on the latest updates in the surfing and SUP scene and community.
Grant is addicted to surfing and stand up paddle boarding and loves the opportunity to share his addiction with others. Grant has surfed internationally, so if you’re interested in some tips for an overseas surf trip, give him a shout. Contact Grant grant@surfontario.ca
Gavin Fregona: At the age of 10 Gavin Fregona grew up surfing in 1960 at Addington Beach in Durban, South Africa. He rode the waves on a 10’6” woody that more than likely outweighed him! An accomplished surfer and windsurfer, life has taken Gavin to Canada and he currently lives walking distance to Lake Ontario.
Gavin has a passion for surfing and the outdoors. It’s not uncommon for him to surf for a couple hours in the dead of winter and follow that up by taking pictures of the rest of us surfing in the cold. Gavin has two webcams on his roof just so the local lake surfers can see if the surfs up. Be sure to check out his webpage and blog for weather links, surf music and many photos from the lakes.
In a recent surf competition on Lake Erie, 60 year old Gavin won the legends (55 to 64) shortboarding division. Gavin’s role in Surf Ontario is to promote surfing and SUPing on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
Kim Murphy is Surf Ontario’s energetic Eastern Ontario SUP instructor, SUP yoga instructor and surf and SUP product advisor. For Kim, working with Surf Ontario s a perfect bridge between her love of Stand Up Paddle Boarding, working with adventurous people & sharing Ontario's beautiful lakes.
Her past adventures have made her an ideal representative of Surf Ontario in her hometown of Perth, Ontario. Kim has 15 years of surfing and traveling experience in areas such as Hawaii, Tofino Vancouver Island, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, and Ecuador. During that time, she has developed the experience necessary to instruct and give the best first hand advice in surf and SUP.
Kim’s easy going, fun loving and energetic demeanor is sure to get everyone stoked on outdoor adventure, surfing, Yoga and SUP as much as she is!
Contact Kim
613-
SUP lessons with Kim (click here)
- Surf Instructor & Guide Del Mar Surf Camp, Hermosa Costa Rica
- Bronze Cross & Bronze Medallion geared for Surf Instructors, Tofino BC.
- Standard First AID and CPR
- 200 hr yoga teacher training with Soma Studio, Newport Rhode Island.
- Thai Massage Therapist RTT, Squamish, BC
- Travel & Tourism Diploma International Institute of Travel, Toronto Ontario
- International Guide for Gap year students, Central & South America
- Holistic Counselor & Personal Life Coach, Rhodes Wellness College Vancouver BC.
- Wilderness First AID, Slipstream Vancouver BC.
- Bar Management, St. Lawrence College Kingston Ontario
Approaching 70 years old, Jim Sandusky is as excited about the new sport of SUP as anyone and he is one to disprove the old adage that ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. Jim retired from a successful farm operation and has since established himself as a premier custom woodworker Southwestern Ontario.
Although Jim didn’t learn how to swim until he was 40, he is now comfortable swimming in the lakes and ocean and still swims 3 to 4 km per week. If he’s not in the woodworking shop or the pool, he’s gardening, biking, running, walking or exercising with his medicine ball.
Jim is keen to spread the SUP word to Southwestern Ontario and represent the boomer population by way of his warehouse near London and getting out on his SUP on Lake Erie and Fanshaw Lake. His mission is to complete a portion of the SUP 4 MS this summer and inspire others his age to seize the day.
