The Confederation of Australian Sport acknowledges leadership and continued growth in Australian surfing

Surfing Australia has announced a significant leadership transition, with CEO Chris Mater set to step down from his role on 31 October 2025. The Confederation of Australian Sport acknowledges this milestone and congratulates Surfing Australia on its strong governance, performance, and sustained contribution to the Australian sporting landscape.

During his tenure, Chris Mater has overseen a period of remarkable growth and innovation for the organisation, highlighted by:

  • The establishment of a world-class High Performance Program supporting Olympic-level athletes.
  • Delivery of a 165-day national events calendar, including the renowned Australian Boardriders Battle, recognised as the 2025 ASE Sports Broadcast of the Year.
  • Organisational growth to more than 50 staff, financial stability, and record participation outcomes.
  • The creation of key programs such as Rivals, Seas the Day, the Australian Online Surf Championships, Rise Female Talent Program, and the First Nations Youth High Performance Program.
  • Record participation growth, including over 100,000 SurfGroms participants and 120,000 new female surfers aged 15+ in 2023.\

CAS commends Surfing Australia for its clear strategic direction, commitment to inclusivity, and continued leadership within the national sporting system.

We also acknowledge Adrian “Ace” Buchan, Chair of the Board, who will step into the role of Acting CEO while the organisation undertakes its search for a permanent successor. This transition reflects strong governance and thoughtful succession planning, hallmarks of a well-led national sporting organisation.

Surfing continues to play an integral role in Australia’s sporting identity, uniting high-performance achievement with community participation and connection to our coastline. CAS looks forward to seeing Surfing Australia build on this strong foundation as it enters its next chapter.

Read the official announcement on Surfing Australia’s website → Surfing Australia