Sailing from HYC, Ruurd van Zyl competes in the Western Cape dinghy circuit. Ruurd's competitive record on SailingSA begins in February 2024. Since then 7 races across 1 regattas have been completed. Ruurd competes mainly in the Optimist B fleet, alongside races in other fleets. Notable results include victory at the 2024 Hermanus Cape Classic in the Optimist B fleet and strong finishes at the 2024 Hermanus Cape Classic. Ruurd continues to compete regularly across provincial and national sailing events.