Greg Townsend

Greg Townsend has been at the helm of Surfing New Zealand since 1995.  Greg was the first paid employee of the association and has built the association to where it is today. Originally getting into sports adminisatration at a regional level as president of the South Coast Boardriders, Greg quickly moved to a national level.  With extensive contacts throughout the country Greg has secured amazing support from corporate New Zealand - an area that was previously untouched by the surfing community.  Greg continues to build relationships with Surfing New Zealand's key sponsors and drives the professional business approach of the association for the success of the sport.   


Ben Kennings

Ben Kennings has been with Surfing New Zealand since late 2003.  After surfing competitively at a national level since the age of 13, Ben managed to represent New Zealand at a junior level and continues to compete to this day.  Ben was a member of the SNZ Executive Board as the athletes representative from 2000 – 2003.  Ben attended Waikato University where he gained a degree in Science specialising in Resource and Environmental Planning.  At Surfing New Zealand Ben focuses on communications working with the media, updating the website and promoting surfing as well as running events, administration work and being the National Selector for New Zealand representative teams.

Steve Ria

Ko Papatu te Maunga, ko Te Arai te Awa, ko Ohako te Marae, ko Te Kiko o te Rangi te whare tipuna, Ko Ruapani te Tangata, ko Ngai Tawhiri te Hapu, ko Rongowhakaata te Iwi.
As a volunteer from 1995 until 2003 Steve gained a wealth of knowledge and experience at SNZ events and was appointed to a permanent staff position as SNZ Operations Manager to assist with the day-to-day running of the SNZ office and operations of SNZ sanctioned events.
Steve has been involved in surfing at a local level as a committee member of Gisborne Boardriders club and at regional level with Te Roopu Ngaru Toa Surfriders Club.
His commitment to the development of surfing in rural areas of the East Coast/ Tairawhiti Region earned him various awards at the annual Turanganui a Kiwa Maori sports awards in appreciation of his dedication to the sport.
Steve has a strong association with Maori Surfing and is involved in the development of the annual Maori Titles, Maori Surf Teams and the growth of the sport for Maori as administrators and officials at club, national and international level.


Lee Ryan

Lee immigrated to New Zealand from the U.K.  in 2006, where  he worked for the British Surfing Association as a Trainer/Assessor.  A former competitive surfer on both short and longboards, Lee competed as a full time professional on the ASP World Longboard Tour from 1995 to 2006. He has nine British National Titles to his name and finished 9^th in the ASP Oxbow World Longboard Championships in Raglan in 2004 where he fell in love with the country and its’ people and decided to make NZ his home.  Since hanging up the contest vest Lee moved into officiating the sport.  Lee is a well respected ASP and ISA judge and is the head judge for the popular Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour.  In his role as National Development Officer Lee delivers the International Surfing Association (ISA) Judging and Coaching Programs, manages the SNZ Approved Surf Schools and promotes the sport of surfing throughout the country.