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Peter Troy has been honoured with
an Order of Australia (OAM) for his outstanding commitment and service to
the sport.
Peter received the OAM for 50 years of service to the sport through
competitions and as an historian and for his involvement in the surf
lifesaving movement.
Peter believes this award is also a great one for the sport which is now
mainstream in most states.
This award just shows how much the sport has grown and how much it has
become so much a part of our life, Peter said.
It shows that surfing is more than just a hobby or culture, it is a way of
life where people can earn a living and embrace a healthy way of life.
Im really honoured to be the second surfer, after Mark Richards, to be
given this award. It just shows how much the sport has become respected on a
national level.
Peter at the Victorian Surfing Championship in 1967.
(photo: Barrie Sutherland)
Good friend and the former president of the Surf Lifesaving Australia,
Charles Lyne nominated Peter for the award to honour his work in the surfing
industry.
Surfing Australia provided considerable information to support the
application for the award, as Peter's travelling and introduction of surfing
to many countries has also made him special in the global aspect of our
sport. His historical contribution and research into the feasability of a
national surfing museum which eventually came into being as the Surfworld
Exhibition [in Torquay] was outstanding.
He was responsible for establishing the famous Bells Beach surfing
competition in 1962, which later became the Rip Curl Pro in 1973.
When not working on the administration side of the industry, he was on the
Australian team at the International Surfing Federation World Surfing
Championships in Peru in 1965.
