Aloha, Rubberman: Larry Bertlemann, 1955–2026" Any thing is Possible!"

The surf world lost one of its true originals this weekend. Larry Bertlemann, the Hawaiʻi surfer known to generations as "Rubberman," died on Saturday, October 10 after a heart attack. He was 71.

According to a statement from his family shared by The Inertia, Larry passed at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu following complications from the heart attack. Our thoughts and aloha go out to his ʻohana and friends.

The surfer who changed the way we ride waves

In the 1970s, Larry was one of the original pioneers of the shortboard movement. At a time when most surfers rode a wave in long, smooth lines, he attacked it top to bottom, low and loose, with a flexibility that earned him his nickname. It was a completely different way of surfing, and it showed everyone how much more was possible on a surfboard.

His signature cutback became known simply as "The Bert." Kids copied it in the water, and skaters copied it on land. A lot of what you see in a modern heat, from the low crouch to the snap off the top, traces back to surfers like Larry who pushed the limits first.

Why it matters to our contest community

Every grom paddling out at an HSA or NSSA event this season is surfing in a sport Larry helped shape. When judges reward speed, power and flow, and when a young surfer drags a hand through a carve, that's part of his legacy. If your surfer has never seen old footage of Rubberman, this is a good week to sit down and watch some together.

Remembering Larry

We'll share any public memorial or paddle-out details once his family or the community announces them. If you have a story or photo of Larry you'd like to share, send it our way.

Rest in peace, Rubberman. Mahalo for everything you gave to surfing.

Sources: The Inertia, Hawaii News Now, Surfer