A highly respected Australian surfer, remembered as one of Bondi’s best boardriders, has died in a remote corner of Indonesia.
Local authorities found Gunther Kitzler’s body at 12.45pm (AEDT) on Tuesday following a 24-hour search.
Kitzler was swept away by strong currents from Grajagan Beach, a popular surf spot known as G-Land.
According to reports, two friends found Kitzler in the surf unconscious and “sinking at the end of his leg rope”.
They tried to swim him to shore but lost hold of their friend in the high seas.
Kitzler, who had moved to Bali from Sydney, was found five kilometres from G-Land.
Tracks Magazine wrote fondly of Kitzler, labelling him one of Bondi’s best surfers in the “ultra-competitive 80s and 90s era”.
“After dabbling in the pro surf scene, Gunther eventually fell in love with Bali and moved there permanently,” the magazine wrote.
“Over the last 25 years, he established a reputation in Bali as a hard surfing, friendly giant who was typically roaming the island at dawn, sharing the surf report with his friends, before paddling out.”
“Gunther was one of the genuine Bondi good guys to grow up with back in the 80s and 90s,” 1993 women’s world surfing champion Pauline Menczer told the publication.
“Always kind, fun and an absolute style-master.”
G-Land is considered an elite-level left-hand surf break defined by hollow, heavy waves over shallow reef.
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