Good for him

and where is he now?

Flipping burgers at Maccas?, high flying corporate exec? down and out junkie?

What becomes of these guys when they get a little older? there is at least 1 article in that Stu.

Here you go TLC: https://swllnt.com/SG0Q0n

He was managing the Aloha store at Cronulla for a while but now he's bashing out the blanks at Force 9.

You're right that there's plenty of stories to be told though I'm not sure how many of those guys would want their story told.

being a responsible journalist I assume you would get permission to publish

Of course! That's what us, ahem, responsible journalists do.

Anyway, not much of a story if you don't speak to the subjects.

I have a completely different take on GG...Great surfer, career destroyed, probably unfairly because he was one of 2 aussie surfers who didn't paddle out in the Wiamea BBong event when wiamea was close to closing out.
I reckon both surfers shortly after lost their sponsors and didn't compete much.....wonder what would have happened if Fiji event went on that day last june?

I knew about GG not paddling out that day but who was the other aussie?

Bryce Ellis from the Central Coast, NSW.

Bryce Ellis. It would've ben brave to paddle out, but just as brave to say "screw that"...especially in Hawaii.

Out of interest Stunet, do you know what was said on "mainstream" media by a high profile commentator at the time about both surfers?

Nah, I don't Ando. At the time I was an early teenage grom so didn't pay any attention to mainstream media.

Might be some merit in what you say about Greeny and the consequences of not paddling out that day as Bryce's star also began to wane at the same time. Interesting to note that RCJ - a Quiksilver stablemate - began his ascension at that event.

ando's got his take, it does somewhat clash with reality.

Gary "Stickman" Green quit the pro tour in 1987, about eight months after that Bong Pro at Waimea. He was on the way up, and was ranked number six in the world – almost 10 places higher than he was in late 1986 – at the time of quitting. Hardly a destroyed career. While quite a few onlookers were stunned by his move, those of us who know and love Greeny weren't that surprised – he was a light-hearted kid who always did what pleased him, and despite his extraordinary success, he was over it.

I dunno about the world's first paid free surfer, would have thought there were a lot of guys before Stickman. Gerry Lopez? Ronnie Burns? Even Occ in his fallow period pre-dated the Search thing, which didn't really start up til 1991.

Bryce Ellis finished 1986 ranked 23rd in the world. In subsequent years he pushed his ranking up a lot higher, finishing as high as 10th in 1989. Again not a career that looks destroyed by Waimea in 1986.

On a tangent: were there any other surfing comps besides the Gunston 500 sponsored by cigarette manufacturers? I suppose back in the day it wasn't such a big deal.

I'd like to see a graph of their respective sponsorships up to that day and post that day....also, was there something going on about passports?

Every sporting event in south africa was sponsored at some level by Gunston, the 84 country feeling classic at J/bay was also sponsered by Gunston, I not long ago sold book that came with the entry on ebay and was looking through it with a mate and talking about just that thing.

Check this Gunston ad Crustt:

https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/stunet/CheyneGunston_zpsac8bfc5…

Cigarettes may harm your health but they're great for switch footing.

Or if you check out some of the modern day ciggie packets , also great for losing a foot.

Gary is working at Force 9 here in the shire ... making great boards

Gazza is currently working as a surfing instructor at Wanda passing on his vast knowledge to keen groms and old punters alike.
As for cigarettes back in the day nearly everyone smoked. Yes, dumb, but just the way it was.