Surfing Australia and NSWIS announce new partnership

Surfing Australia and the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) have today announced a new sport partnership which will support Australian surfers to be world’s best at the inaugural Olympic surfing competition at the Tokyo games in 2020. The partnership is the first Surfing Australia has entered into with a state institute or academy of sport.

Alongside the partnership it has also been announced that the NSW Government will be providing a $3m investment for the expansion of the Surfing Australia National High Performance Centre.

Ongoing partnerships with National Sporting Organisations have resulted in NSWIS’ proud history of Olympic, Paralympic and International success – and this ‘Olympic readiness’ preparation experience will be influential as Surfing Australia head towards their first games.

The new partnership follows an extensive review of Surfing Australia’s strategy, structure and operations. A majority of identified surfing Olympic athletes – including men’s and women’s world champions – are from New South Wales, as well as two thirds of Surfing Australia’s elite coaches. The partnership, and investment from the NSW Government, further cements the state’s association with the sport.

NSWIS Acting CEO Clare Prideaux said, “We are delighted to be announcing this partnership today. Surfing is a sport with a close connection to Australia and our state in particular, so we are excited to be able to enter this partnership and support our surfers to become world’s best. NSWIS has a fantastic track record of helping sports prepare for Olympic and Paralympic success, and we look forward to continuing this with Surfing Australia.”

The new partnership, in collaboration with Surfing NSW and the Australian Institute of Sport, will see Surfing Australia utilising NSWIS high performance experts, facilities and experience. The specific aims of the partnership will be to continue to develop a performance culture in the organisation, optimise the growth and development of Surfing Australia coaches with recently appointed technical expert and Australian surfing legend Bede Durbidge, and finally to develop a high performing team environment in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics. The structure of the partnership will provide the physical environment necessary for performance and community outcomes.