starsurfbox

Myself
Years Pro: 6 years (Freesurfing)
Stance: Regular
Favourite Spot: Pacific Ocean
Vehicle: Standard Model Polluter
Pet: Gardens and Surfboards (I would say Hannah but she is concerned about being regarded as an animal)
Favourite Food: Fresh and Organic
Who or what inspires you? To be a good person, Hannah. Good Surfers, DVS. A good gardener, Bill Mollison…

Who do you look up to? Everyone has aspects worth admiring.

Surfers come and go. Sure they may flare in the water, make a heap of coin or even bag a world title but does that make them memorable? Why should their name stick out from the thousands of others who have passed before us? This is David Rastovich, he surfs and lives for different reasons, read on and learn.

Graceful, clean swooping turns with hints of style from past eras characterize Rasta’s approach to surfing. Don't be fooled though, there is more to him than meets the eye. His relaxed and pure approach to life on land often spills over into water life. Whether it be a thruster, single fin, twin fin, a wooden board or even a funky blow-up surf mat, to 'Rasta' it's all fun. Just like a musical instrument, each one giving their own sense of enjoyment, giving off their own 'sound'.

Born in New Zealand, Rasta moved to the Gold Coast at the age of six. Growing up, David was a dominant force in the water. He began his days as a lifesaving nipper. Winning surf carnivals with relative ease alongside friend Grant Hackett, who we now know as an Olympic swimming champion. But as he got older he moved into surfing and the Billabong Junior Series proved he had what it takes to go all the way. He won the U/16 World Grommet Champs in Bali and not long after joined the WQS. But he quickly learned that contest life wasn't for him. The lack of enjoyment and countless rules pushed 'Rasta' into the life he lives today. He gets paid to surf and film at exotic locations around the world without having the stress of the grueling contest circuit.

This lifestyle combined with hard work has made Rasta the feature of many surfing films including Billabong’s 'Framelines' and ‘The Free Way’ and more recently, Jack McCoy’s 'Blue Horizon' alongside Billabong team mate Andy Irons, a movie that has proven a breakaway success from other surf movies of our time.
In 2006, as well as featuring in Taylor Steele’s surf travel opus, ‘Sipping Jetstreams’, Rasta embarked on a new project, creating his own movie, ‘Life Like Liquid’. Featuring a host of Rasta’s musician and surfer friends and his own, phenomenal water footage, Rasta’s first foray into the world of film leaves little doubt that his talents extend far beyond the lineup.

Rasta is also known for his alternate lifestyle, which includes daily yoga sessions and meditation. Due to his concern for our environment, he maintains his very own organic veggie garden, and is constantly working on ways to make surfboards more eco-friendly.

When he’s not in the water he kicks back in the gardens of his beautiful home nestled away in the quiet northern NSW hills, which he tinkered with and extended with his own hands, a skill passed on from his father Dennis, a man of all trades. In 2005 Dave wed his companion of four years, Hannah – the love of his life who often accompanies him on overseas surfing adventures.

Rasta is now the face of Billabong’s Be The Change You Want In The World environmental campaign which incorporates a range of eco friendly recycled boardshorts and Organic T-Shirts. On a personal level, he is also campaigning to stop the slaughter of whales and dolphins in Japan by enlisting the help of world renowned surfers and musicians to support the cause.