The Sultan, Bells. Photo: Joli

The Sultan of Speed got his nickname due to outrageous body torque technique that allowed him to reach improbably velocities at places like J-Bay, Indo and the North Shore, starring in seminal 70’s films like Morning of the Earth, shaping his own boards and becoming one of the iconic figures of the era. Such was his prowess in the then- fledging shortboard era, that Dick Brewer (with whom he collaborated as a shaper to come up with groundbreaking design leaps like the spiral vee/ double concave) called him “The best surfer in the world”. A combo of blond afro, radical winged pintails and deeply trippy sprays saw him hone a distinctive image in an era laden with outlandish characters. He founded the Hot Buttered label in the 80’s, one of the earliest global board brands.