"Interview with Ant van den Heuvel," by Rodger Ashe, was published in South African Surfer, in early 1967. Van den Huevel was just back from a long trip overseas, where he surfed and competed in Peru, Hawaii, and California. This version has been slightly edited and shortened. 

After taking third place in the Peru contest [the 1966 Peru International], what made you decide not to come straight back home as planned?

Greg Noll offered me a free surfboard if I went to Hawaii for the winter so accompanied by Bobby Cloutier, I flew from Peru to Hawaii, where we surfed all the breaks except Waimea Bay.

Well, the break does not start working until the swell reaches 15' and last winter it just never worked at all.

Which was the best breaks you surfed while you were traveling?

The best breaks were Sunset Beach, the Pipeline, and definitely Honolua Bay. Mind you, the best beachbreak that I have ever surfed is still South Beach [Durban].

No man—I'm telling you. There aren't many beachbreaks to compare with South Beach, and Cape St. Francis is one of the best point breaks, but the Americans overrate it a bit, because it is not as consistent as they have been led to believe.

From there I went to California where I was on the Greg Noll team, and later Mike Hynson's team.

Being presented with an award at the Surfing Hall of Fame in Santa Monica, and also being in the United States Surfing Championships, where I managed to reach the semifinals, the last 12, out of 500 entrants. 

Why were you honored at the Hall of Fame?

I was elected best surfer in South Africa and one of the most improved surfers in the world.

How would you compare the surf in Hawaii and California to that of South Africa?

Generally speaking, Califoria surf is about three feet smaller than here, while Hawaiian winter surf is bigger but the summer surf is smaller.

Surfing should combine the thrill, speed, grace, timing, and elegance of skiing, bullfighting, and music. You can't just get on your board, go out there, get a wave, turn, cutback, and then something else. When you go surfing you've got to be in the right frame of mind, man. You've gotta beome part of the wave by mingling with it, and performing all your maneuvers in one single flowing motion. That is what the Yanks try to accomplish, and man you just can't do it if you don't get into the right frame of mind before surfing. Listening to music is about the best way to accomplish this. Like I say, when you are surfing you must have a flowing motion

Wow, you're getting me all worked up! But let's get this straight. Surely you don't hum tunes to yourself while you're surfing?

Sure it does. But most people here are not very broad-minded, so they probably won't believe me. I don't care anyway, because I just want to surf and build boards. I'm not interested in setting trends or any jazz like that.

Talking about boards, how do the American boards compare with those made in South Africa?

Naturally, they have more advanced designs. At the moment, most of the top surfers are riding boards similar to the one I brought back. [A Gordon and Smith "red fin" model semi-gun, shaped by Mike Hynson.]

I hear that you are going to bring out a signature model of your own. Is that right?

That's right, and when anyone orders a board, all I want is his weight and surfing experience. The rest must be left to me. 

It must be getting quite crowded up there.

Before you start giving away your secrets, do you have any plans to compete overseas in the near future?

When I was in California, I was invited to compete in the Duke Kahanamoku contest, which is being held in Hawaii early next year. On the way back from Hawaii, I would like to stop in Australia for a month before coming back to South Africa. Then I am going to do my best to make the next Springbok team to compete in the World Championships.

Were you expecting to compete in the 1966 World Championships? 

[Note: Van den Heuvel did not compete in South Africa in 1966, and thus was not eligible for the World Championships team even though he was at the time regarded, nationally and internationally, as the country's best surfer.]

Yes, I thought that the selectors would take my overseas results into account when selecting the team, so I stayed over there (California) to save them having to collect money for my fare (back to California). 

Did you write the South African Surfing Association, informing them? 

Look, when I was in the United States I was so broke that I never even had enough money to pay the postage.

You were in a bad way! Now that the '66 Championships are all over, how do you feel about it? 

Naturally, I was very disappointed. But I'm not sour about it. As long as I can carry on surfing as much as possible, that's all I'm interested in. I would like to make it quite clear that I have no hard feelings whatsoever. 

If you had been allowed to compete, do you think you could have reached the semifinals or possible the finals? 

What was the general feeling about the controversial photo of North Beach by Ron Perrott, which was published in America?

[Note: a recent issue of SURFER featured a shot of a dressed black teenager on the beach in Durban, looking dejected, and a nearby group white bare-chested surfers about to paddle out. "Durban beaches are segregated," the caption reads, "so this native youngster can't join these three surfers for a little fun in the surf." The image ignited a firestorm of letters for and against segregated beaches and race matters in general.]

Besides the fact that politics should be kept out of surfing, most peole thought it was a lot of bull. In any case, the whole time I was in America, I only saw two Negro surfers. It's just not their game.

WIth conditions as crowded as they are, I don't suppose anybody tries to talk them into it, either.

Anthony van den Heuvel

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