Name: Gary van Rooyen aka G.V.R
Age: 50 Something
Occupation: General Manager New Balance SA.

Gary is just a regular hard working guy like you and I. At least that’s what you see on the surface. Truth be told Gary is one of those guys that could have been anything.

An all round waterman with a list of accomplishments as long as the red carpet he should be walking on. 110% driven to be only as good as his next wave, imagine the intensity and consistency… well it all comes to life when you meet the man himself.

When and how did you start surfing?

Swopped a pair of slops for a broken long-board when I was 6 years old, but it was too wide to carry home. So my first surfing experience lasted one session of 15 minutes.

Got hooked up with a bunch of ‘wisdom weed’ smokers at WBHS in standard 7, headed by train off to Muizenberg in old rugby jersey, rope attached to an old sock and that was it… stoked!!

Swopped my fish tank for a 5’8” single fin, painted it cool blue on the first night – it didn’t dry, but used it the next morning for an early one – sand embedded into the wet paint! This was surf fever that only a surfer knows!

You worked at the infamous Lifestyle Surf Shop tell us a bit about that.

Started out with Tich Paul down at the Muizenberg store after diving in the Navy and the Diamond Coast for three years.

We started Lifestyle Surf and Dive as well as the Country Rhythm Surf Center in town. 10 great years of selling surfing and manufacturing surfboards.

Watched the dawn of Country Feeling and Billabong, twin-fins, thrusters, the rise and shine of Shaun Tomson, Johnny ‘Iceman’ Paarman, Martin Potter and a little grommet called Davey Stolk.

Rumor has it you were quite the windsurfer, how did that change come about?

In 1981, Windurfing was only one design type, which was a 15 ft tank with a yacht mast on it. But, two old (28years) mates of ours, Dave Hau and Cliffy Lemkus had just returned from Maui, Hawaii and approached Tich and I to make them some short sinker ‘surfboard’ type windsurfers.

They showed us super 8 movies of Hookipa with Robbie Naishe and Mike Waltz shredding down the line. The first board we made was the wrong colour, so I inherited it.

Within 3 months we were at our first contest in Durban – saw my ass, but really digged the vibe! Then came the Summersail Circuit consisting of the Gunston Surfsailing International and the GTI slalom event at Blouberg.

It ran for 10 days each December for 6 years and was paying out first prize money of R10,000 in 1985. I hooked a R30k sponsorship to Hawaii and did a few contests there.

The sport was very professionally run by BASA, SA Champs, Inter-provincials, province champs etc. I was cooking at the veteran age of 28 and didn’t lose an event for three years.

We pioneered Witsands, the Outer, The Dunes, Cape Point and Elands on these new wave style boards. Then one day… my mates had moved on and it was time to try triathlon!

You were also one of the first SA crew of surfers to travel to Hawaii…

Guys like Gavin Rudolf (first SA world champion), Shaun and Mike Tomson, Mark Price, Johnny etc. were the first campaigners and did incredibly well in the huge Waimea, Pipeline and Sunset chargers.

On my first trip, first time in Hawaiian waters, we caused a bit of havock on the south shore by hogging the line–up and were given 5 minutes to leave the water and never return by a 210kg sumo wrestler who was doubling up as the outside buoy.

On day 2, Tich and I arrived at the Pipe - it looked a bit cross-shore and wild but very rideable, with no-one out. Fortunately Tich suggested we try a less evil break to kick off our North shore initiation.

We found out the next day it was actually a gnarly 10-12 ft out there – wonder why no-one was out??

How about all those province and SA titles as well as Gunston comps under the belt?

Yah… what about them? Dust in the cupboard bro! You are only as good as your next wave…

Give us a bit of insight to the change over from surfing through to kiting and also the similarities.

Once you have the feel of surfing it stays with you forever, so no matter if it’s windsurfing, kiting, long-boarding, surf-skiing, whatever… It just feels right.

Although kiting is currently my preference, I love good waves on any type of board, so when there is no wind, I’m still out there. Even kiting is now evolving and has two types of followers, the wave warriors who were the early guys and the tricksters who are coming off skate and wake.

Fresh off a second place finish at the S.A long-board champs how did that happen, you just seem to be full of surprises?

Hey… next year I’m gonna train for the J-Bay champs.

It was a hoot, especially to be with my daughter Chelsea and rooting for her on New Pier. This was really all about her and keeping her stoked – the second place was accidental.

So what’s next on the “to do” list for GVR?

The winds a’ blowing Justin my lad! On the surfing side, I have to learn to walk these long boards now. Watch this space!

In Conclusion

We'd like to thank Gary for taking some time out from chasing the wind and managing New Balance to talk to us. It's inspirational to see that there's even more to life after 50! How many guys you know could tell a life story like that?