Born in Vienna, Austria Gunther started surfing around 1963/64 after his parents migrated to South Africa when he was 4yrs old. He surfed in contests for a while with limited success, his best results was a 2nd placing in the Western Province open Mens Title in 1972, and also surfing in the trials to pick the South African Team in 1970.
Gunther first picked up the shaping tools in 1972 and in 1973 left South Africa for Australia where he picked up work with Geoff McCoy finish coating and pin striping surfboards as well as honing his skills on shaping. He moved to Lennox Head in 1974 and started Free Flight Surfboards with a friend in 1975 after working at Sol Surfbaords for a year and a half learning how to completely build a surfboard from beginning to end