FOLLOWING the popular announcement of world tour professional Bede Durbidge's appointment as the Surfing Australia elite program manager for the 2020 Olympic campaign, the national body of surfing has appointed high profile sportswoman Kim Crane as the new national high performance director.

Surfing Australia created history by appointing seven time world champion Layne Beachley to be the first woman chair of the National Surfing Organisation, and recently World Surf League appointed Sophie Goldschmidt as the world professional body's new CEO.

Crane is a sporting high performance specialist, who has a lifelong connection with the ocean through surfing, outrigger canoe racing and stand-up paddle-boarding, and bolsters Australian surfing's Olympic gold medal ambitions heading into the 2020 Games in Japan.

In the past, surfing was dominated and led solely by a male management team and it's a welcome change that the sport has now shown equal gender opportunity and can no longer be accused of male dominated.

Crane not only has a genuine passion for surfing, but extensive knowledge and industry experience with an impressive background in multiple Olympic campaigns, sports administration and competing as a top-flight athlete.

Her recent role as the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) performance manager has been the perfect primer for the new role. At the AIS, Crane was responsible for leading the engagement of key internal and external partners to develop high quality, effective high-performance plans and strategies to increase the likelihood of achieving and sustaining performance targets.

Surfing Australia is confident that Crane - who will be based at the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre in Casuarina in her new role from September 11 - can deliver on these key objectives for the 2020 Games.

Prior to her AIS role, Crane worked at the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) as manager of high performance sport & excellence, overseeing up to 16 Olympic sports.

She led the NSWIS coach excellence program, and also spent time as Hockey Australia's national high performance manager.

"To lead Surfing Australia's high performance program is without doubt a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Crane said.

"I sincerely acknowledge the work completed by previous organisational leaders who established the foundations for Surfing Australia to be ready for its first Olympic Games in 2020.

"There's much work to do, not just to ensure we are ready for Tokyo, but to build upon the talent programs creating the next generation of athletes striving for continued world championship and Olympic success.

"I look forward to starting this journey working beside Andrew Stark (CEO), Bede Durbidge, HPC staff, State bodies, and all the partners in the national sport network and surf industry.”

Durbidge said he was stoked with the appointment, and was excited to be working alongside Crane.

"She will be a massive asset to Surfing Australia and the high performance program,” he said.

"What she brings to the table from her Olympic background is going to be so valuable to Australia's success over the coming years. On top of Kim's amazing career background, she has a deep passion and love for surfing. I couldn't ask for a better boss.”

Beachley was also thrilled by the announcement and said Crane's wealth of Olympic knowledge, sporting experience and passion for surfing made her the perfect candidate.

"Obviously Surfing Australia has wholeheartedly embraced the challenge of preparing for a new and exciting chapter as an Olympic sport, and Kim's appointment strengthens our team and demonstrates our commitment to providing the best opportunity for our athletes' success on the world stage,” Beachley said.