“Ace” appointment for the Surfing Australia board

Surfing Australia is pleased to announce Adrian “Ace” Buchan as the new Deputy Chair of Surfing Australia.

Ace grew up on the Central Coast of New South Wales where he honed his natural surfing skills to become a two-time World Grommet and Australian Pro Junior Champion before joining the WSL Championship Tour. One of the longest serving athletes on the CT, he finished in the world top 20 for 10 consecutive seasons.

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“I’m honoured to have the opportunity to step into the role of Deputy Chair at Surfing Australia,” he said.

“The opportunities I was afforded as a wide-eyed, young surfer dreaming of a professional career were largely due to the platform laid by Surfing Australia in the form of the grassroots club structure and clear junior pathway. I want to ensure our next generation have those same opportunities and that Australians continue to be given all the tools to excel on the world stage.”

Revered by his peers for being intelligent, articulate, positive and proactive, Ace also plays an active role in various non-profit organisations. He is a Founding Board member of Surfers for Climate and an Ambassador for WSL Pure Foundation, Sapphire Project WSL and the Take 3 for the Sea Foundation. He was also the WSL Surfers Representative and sat on the WSL Board for 5 years. 

“Surfing, in whatever form, surf culture and a love of the ocean is deeply engrained in our identity as a largely coastal dwelling nation. At Surfing Australia, we have a responsibility to both protect, preserve and pass on that gift to our children. I’m very passionate about the social and environmental leadership role we can play in the next chapter at Surfing Australia,” he said.

Surfing Australia CEO, Chris Mater said: “We are thrilled to have someone of Ace’s calibre in a leadership position on the Surfing Australia board. Ace has made it his mission to ensure Australia’s future stars are given more opportunities he was afforded and is well-respected by his peers both in and out of the water. No one is more passionate about seeing the sport grow & thrive in Australia”

Chair of Surfing Australia, Layne Beachley, AO said: “Ace isn’t just a pretty face, or a brilliant surfer. A deep thinker, successful businessman and analytical questioner, Ace brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to the board and I’m stoked to announce his appointment as Deputy Chair of Surfing Australia. His passion for surfing and connection to the environment primes him for the role.”

We look forward to many more years working with Ace at Surfing Australia.