Australian Sport

Surfing Australia Welcomes Crawford Report

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 November, 2009 : - - Surfing Australia today commends the initiatives outlined in The Future of Australian Sport release, a report commissioned by the Australian Government to investigate reforms required to ensure the Australian sporting system remains prepared for future challenges at both community and elite levels.

As a recognised Australian “whole of lifetime” sport and recreation, Surfing Australia welcomes and applauds such a progressive and extensive independent report. Similar to sports like cricket, golf, surf lifesaving, football and other non-Olympic sports, Australian’s are passionate about these sports and as such these sports deserve at least an equal consideration to funding based on worthy projects.

As of today, November 17th, Australia currently has the number one World Rated Men’s and Women’s surfers in Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore, the 2009 World Longboard Champion Harley Ingelby, the World under 18 champion boy and girl surfers Dean Bowen and Tyler Wright along with the World Junior Champion Team achieved in Ecuador in March this year competing against 32 international countries.

This report appears to recognise such international excellence on the world sporting stage and provides credibility to our international performers.

Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark  was extremely pleased and welcoming of the Crawford Report saying “Surfing is an iconic Australian sport and we have been achieving outstanding results on the world surfing stage for years. This report will finally create legitimate awareness to all Australians that there are true champions and true legitimacy outside Olympic sports and importantly that many of these non Olympic sports form part of our national ethos”

“Surfing is well liked by Australian’s and is a life time participation sport and one that offers a truly healthy lifestyle. We welcome the Crawford Report findings in particular the comments suggesting the need for balance among Olympic and non Olympic Sports.”

“We look forward to working with the Federal Government to develop our surfing development pathway including increased participation at all levels of our sport and maintaining our world number 1 ranking for elite surfer performances.”

Surfing Australia Chairman and former General Manager of Quiksilver International, Norm Innis commented “On behalf of the Board of Directors of Surfing Australia, I would like to endorse the findings of the Crawford Report into the future of sport in Australia. Surfing as both a lifestyle pursuit, and competitive sport, is one of the largest participative activities in Australia. Surfing has become iconic in this country, and is now as intrinsic a part of the Australian culture as it is in Polynesian societies.”

“As such, surfing is practiced regularly by very young children through all age groups, and is now a “whole of life” activity as evidenced by the growing ranks of competitive surfers aged over 55, over 60, over 65, and even over 70 years of age. Surfing has incredible health and lifestyle benefits for the more than 2.5 million Australians currently participating in the sport, and Australia is also definitely over represented at the elite end of the professional surfing ranks. (This year will most probably see Australians taking the number one position in the professional ranks in both the men’s and women’s categories.)”

“ The Crawford Report’s holistic emphasis on the multi faceted needs in sport; elite success, general participation, and overall health and well being benefits to society, perfectly corresponds to Surfing Australia’s attitude to the sport of surfing in Australia. Sport is not just about an elite medal tally every 4 years. Funding needs must be based on all possible criteria, not just an elite score sheet.”

www.surfingaustralia.com

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Steve Robertson

Industry - Surfersvillage