The son of a South African surfing legend, Rudy Palmboom Jr. has had every advantage a young surfer could ask for. “My dad taught me when I was seven, he was a good surfer in his prime and still rips and mum is amazing”, says Palmboom. But the South African prefers to let his surfing do the talking. “I always said I’d like to win without boosting and lose without excuse”, he says. He’s grown up virtually on the sand at one of Durban’s premier breaks, Anstey’s Beach, allowing him to mature in some of South Africa’s heaviest waves. The fact that his parents own and run the beachside backpackers also means that he has had a rotating cast of visiting professionals for inspiration. His smooth style accentuates an approach to surfing that is equal parts power and progression, which has served as the foundation for his breakthrough year in 2007 where he dominated the South African junior circuit and caused major upsets in the ‘QS events he surfed.