Kim Van Gucht (BoardX)

Kim Van Gucht: The man who taught Belgium to surf

He started as a monitor at BoardX , grew to be the founders’ right-hand man and eventually took over the entire business. Today he runs the country’s largest surf travel company and has taught thousands of Belgians to surf – from bouncing teenagers on their first surf camp to families spending their summers glamping-style.

A conversation about how BoardX evolved, the wildest surf trips and wipeouts, and how the Belgian surf scene exploded. Oh, and Kim brought a ridiculously big prize : a free surf trip at BoardX . How to win that? We'll get to that in a moment.

From surf monitor to CEO: How Kim Van Gucht took over BoardX

Kim jumped on the radar of Jokke and co , who were still pulling the strings at BoardX, somewhere in early 2000. His resume? Speaks Spanish, can repair surfboards, and had already shaped a surfboard himself .

With that profile, he was brought in as a monitor and quickly rose within the company . A few summers later, he was leading an entire surf camp, involved in everything from the set-up to the afterparty, and eventually decided to take over the company .

Under Kim , BoardX grew bigger and more professional . Where the focus used to be on wild youth camps , it grew into an organization that now has seven camps in France and Spain, with thousands of surfing Belgians and Dutch people every year .

From garage to surfing empire

BoardX started like many great companies: in a dusty garage in Kessel-Lo . No fancy offices, no marketing budgets – just a bunch of surfboards, cardboard boxes and a few visionaries trying to turn their passion into a business .

Fast forward to today: a 3.5-hectare domain in Montalivet, surf camps in top locations and a wide range of options from family-friendly holidays to hardcore surf trips .

And if that wasn't impressive enough, they continue to be more innovative than ever . New concepts like:
✅ Shapers Week – Make your own board under the guidance of Free Fivershape.
✅ Skate Week – For those who enjoy surfing on concrete as much as in the water.
✅ Women's Only Week – A whole week without backpaddling dudes.

BoardX continues to grow and adapt to a surfing scene that is maturing.

Belgian Surf Trips: From Niche to Mainstream

When BoardX started, surfing in Belgium was an absolute niche . The first camps were a combination of surfing, campfire evenings and chaos . But over the years, the demand for more comfort, better guidance and a more varied offer grew.

Today , thousands of Belgians go on a surf trip every year . BoardX grew with them and developed, in addition to the youth camps , family-friendly options and more luxurious formulas .

The Belgian surf scene has undergone a huge shift. Where you used to find a few lost Belgians in Zarautz with an old NSP board , you now see a lot of compatriots with high-performance shortboards and sponsored wetsuits .

Kim and his team played a big part in this, not only offering trips, but creating a whole surfing community .

Wipeouts and surf trip legends

Kim is not only an entrepreneur, but also an experienced surf tripper . But that doesn't mean everything always goes smoothly. There have been wipeouts. Big wipeouts.

Draculas, Morocco: 'The Broken Leg Saga'

Draculas is not a beginner’s spot. Big, hollow waves, sharp rocks and a difficult entry. Kim paddled in, immediately felt his foot do something that feet don’t normally do , and quickly realized, “This is bad.”

The solution? A half-hour paddle to a fishing boat , where he arranged a lift to the beach for 100 euros . Was the fisherman ever paid? Doubtful.

'Imsouane's Surging Wave Disaster'

Imsouane is known as the longest wave in Morocco. But danger lurks behind the jetty. Kim was literally washed up and down the reef one unfortunate day . While he tried to save himself, T-Man stood on the jetty laughing his head off , while bystanders looked on with serious concern.

"I couldn't help myself," T-Man laughs. "It was like a human car wash on lava rock."

Kim survived, with a few extra scars on his list.

WIN: A FREE surf trip with BoardX!

Kim brought home a ridiculously cool prize : a week of surf camp at BoardX!

How do you stand a chance?
Leave a comment below telling us which BoardX location you would like to visit and which local specialty you would like to eat or drink there.

Examples:
️ "Zarautz, with a plate of chuleta and a pint of Estrella."
"Montalivet, oysters and white wine at the market."
"Berria, with a portion of fresh anchovies and a surfboard under her arm."

Let your creativity run wild, because who knows, you might drop your first cutback in Montalivet this summer – completely free!

Conclusion: Kim Van Gucht, a living legend in the Belgian surfing scene

Whether you know him as CEO, surf monitor, or the man who has been repairing surfboards in Zarautz for years , one thing is certain: Kim has had a huge impact on the Belgian surfing world .

His journey from student monitor to CEO of the largest Belgian surf-travel company is a story of passion, dedication and a few serious wipeouts .

So: listen to the episode, enter the contest and book your next surf trip.

‍♂️ Listen to the episode here and get a chance to win a free surf camp!