Rory Dace
St. Francis Bay , Eastern Cape
Rory Dace is the youngest in a surfing family and his journey began on the beach.
In the heat of the summer sun, the blonde-haired boy would watch from the safety of the sand…Using surfboards as their apparatus, combined with the sharpness and precision of their techniques, Rory gazed in awe as his kin painted speckled clouds above the backline. He was totally bewitched and it was only a matter of time before Rory discovered his rightful place in the water.
From the moment his arm could fit around his soft-railed surfboard, he became ‘the master planner’ and ventured to the shores of St. Francis as often as he could. As luck would have it, Rory’s older brother was also one with the waves and together, the pair would journey to their home break’s corner to conquer the rights that rolled through the bay.
Despite his soft spot for his local break, Rory’s growing talents left him wanting…
Hungry for a change of scenery, Rory and his family set off in search of new peaks.
On a solo surf, with A-frame waves running left and right, he discovered his favourite surf spot in the warm waters of Mauritius.
It’s safe to say his curiosity didn’t stop there!
With a grandfather who is known for shaping retro surfboards, Rory was intrigued by the funky finishings of his Pop’s creations. After coming across his 8’2 “Swish”, (swallow tail fish), Rory fell in love with walking all over the board.
Always willing to give the more ‘groovy’ shapes some love, Rory went on to snatch silver at the 2022 South African Longboarding Championships held in Jeffrey’s Bay. But, his best performances yet have been on his newfound favourite – his 6’0 Red Tiger Pyzel.
It’s safe to say his curiosity didn’t stop there!
With a grandfather who is known for shaping retro surfboards, Rory was intrigued by the funky finishings of his Pop’s creations. After coming across his 8’2 “Swish”, (swallow tail fish), Rory fell in love with walking all over the board.
Always willing to give the more ‘groovy’ shapes some love, Rory went on to snatch silver at the 2022 South African Longboarding Championships held in Jeffrey’s Bay. But, his best performances yet have been on his newfound favourite – his 6’0 Red Tiger Pyzel.
Just up the coast from his hometown, Rory and the Red Tiger took the crowd by storm when claiming the victory of the U16 division Ripcurl Gromsearch, in nail-biting conditions.
Dark clouds swirled above the sea and monstrous waves broke off the East Pier in Port Alfred. For a fleeting moment, the sun shone through the layer of seamist that hung above the beachfront and Rory knew it was his time to shine. Just beyond the man-made structure that points to the horizon, a merciless set hurtled towards him – his golden ticket had arrived.
Breaking right, his movements flowed effortlessly as he worked the massive wave. Following his forehand roundhouse cutback, the section opened up and Rory saw his chance. Operating on nothing but natural instinct, Rory re-entered the section at lightning speed as he rounded the trough and headed straight for the snarling lip.
Influenced by his calculated timing and flawless execution, two elements momentarily collided and worked together in perfect harmony. The Tiger’s fiery red and yellow deck smacked the snow-like white water, and in a downward motion, ushered Rory back to the ocean’s surface.
He’d done it. He had stuck the outrageous landing and finished his performance with his fist pumped high in the air as he rode out the dwindling section.
Rory dreams of making it onto the challenger series. With his impeccable talent for power surfing, nothing is impossible.