Quiksilver founder Alan Green dies in Torquay aged 77

The man who founded Quiksilver is being remembered for his innovation and his passion for surfing and his family after he died in Torquay.

Quiksilver surfwear founder boss Alan Green relaxing out on his surfboard. Mr Green passed away after a battle with cancer in Torquay.

The founder of Quiksilver is being remembered for his innovation and passion for surfing after his death in Torquay on Tuesday.

When he first started working from a small holiday house in the Surf Coast town more than 55 years ago, Alan Green had no idea the impact he would have on the surfing industry worldwide.

Mr Green, 77, died after a battle with cancer and the tributes are flowing in to recognise the family man and surf wear innovator he was.

His style of boardshorts, that he created at 22 years old, is one of his biggest legacies.

Rod Brooks worked at Quiksilver for 25 years and was a close friend of Mr Green.

He said Mr Green was a lateral thinker.

“The innovation was that he used velcro on the fly for the first time, two studs instead of a tie waist and the scalloped legs,” he said.

“He got Quiksilver going by renting a holiday house in Torquay that was cheap.

“He went through quite a few different ranges over the first few years that were very attractive to the international and interstate surfers that came to Bells at Easter time to compete.”

Co-founder of Ripcurl Brian Singer (left) with founder of Quiksilver Alan Green.

Mr Green’s wife Barbara is understood to have found the brand’s name through a novel she was reading.

Mr Green joined forces with his friend John Law to turn Quiksilver into a surfwear giant.

Mr Brooks said the shorts caught the eyes of surfing champions including Mark Richards, Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew, Peter Townend, and Jeff Hakman and Gerry Lopez from Hawaii.

“In those days there wasn’t a lot of money around for sponsorship, which is ridiculous when now they get paid millions, and for free shorts they promoted them through photo shoots with magazines and surf films and so the brand got going,” Mr Brooks said.

“Ripcurl was much the same way and in fact Alan helped introduce the wetsuit range for them when he was about 21.

“He absolutely had huge impact on the industry.”

Rod Brooks worked at Quiksilver for 25 years and has paid tribute to his friend Alan Green. Reporter: Maria Lewis

Mr Brooks said Mr Green through Quiksilver was responsible for thousands of people being employed worldwide.

“Alan surfed all his life, he was a good surfer before making shorts, I think that’s how he knew what boardshorts to make that were missing in the market,” he said.

Mr Brooks said Mr Green had a “life well lived” and was not someone to sit still.

Mr Green, with his partners, had three Melbourne Cup winners, would ski in Canada and New Zealand annually and Mr Brooks would join him on his boat in Indonesia each year to go surfing.

“His biggest passion was his family though, he had a lovely family,” Mr Brooks said.

“He was married more than 50 years and three wonderful kids who were born and raised at Torquay and eventually that’s where he passed away.”

Quiksilver is now based in California, after its ownership changed hands a number of years ago.

Kelly Slater, who is regarded as the greatest professional surfer ever, took to his Instagram stories to pay tribute to Mr Green.

“Love you Greeny,” he wrote.

“You were one of a kind and a great friend and mentor for so many.

“I’ll miss you forever.”

Originally published as Quiksilver founder Alan Green dies in Torquay aged 77