Surfing New Zealand chief executive Greg Townsend is retiring from the position after 23 years with the organisation.
The longest-serving chief executive of any national sporting organisation in the country, Townsend, who grew up in Dunedin, will finish his role at the end of next week.
"To work for an organisation that is all about creating a better lifestyle for New Zealanders through the sport of surfing has been a real privilege," he said.
"As a passionate surfer, I could not have asked for a better job and feel proud that I have stayed true to surfing throughout."
Townsend first surfed at St Clair Beach when he was 12 and his love of the sport grew from there.
Surfing NZ has been able to nurture home-grown surfers to be competitive on the world stage, including Maz and Jay Quinn, Paige Hareb, Richard Christie, Daniel Kereopa, Billy Stairmand, Sarah Mason and Ella Williams.
Townsend (54) organised the first national surfing environmental hui in Raglan in 2006 to discuss the protection and preservation of our surf breaks. Out of that initiative the Surfbreak Protection Society was formed, a national body to represent the views of the surfing community on environmental issues.
Townsend is moving on to a role in which he will be in charge of The Ultimate Waterman (TUW) event, which has been contested in Auckland and Invercargill. It is set to be staged in Hawaii next year.
"It was a difficult decision to depart and while I am sad to leave Surfing New Zealand, I am extremely excited by the opportunity to take TUW to the next level internationally.
"We have created the best multi-discipline water sports event in the world, which has been tried and tested in New Zealand. Now it is time to take it to Hawaii, the home of surfing and some of the best watermen and waterwomen on the planet."
TUW has been set up by Townsend to continue to provide an income to Surfing NZ. He will also continue to support the national body by remaining an SNZ life member, mentor and supporter.
Meanwhile, the dispute over who runs paddleboarding is headed for the courts.
The International Surfing Association (ISA) has referred the ongoing dispute with the International Canoe Federation (ICF) over the governance of stand-up paddleboarding to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) arbitration process.
The ISA’s long-term governance role has been challenged by the ICF since late 2016. In line with the desires of the Olympic movement to find a swift solution to the issue, the ISA has formally begun an arbitration process.
