Becoming a father made it easy for Hawke's Bay's Daniel Moodie to slip out of the international surf life saving spotlight.
"I had lost a bit of passion for the sport. I wasn't enjoying losing and I was getting injuries, which I was probably rushing back from too early and they never came right.
"Having Hudson made it easier to call it quits. I found it a lot more enjoyable coming home from work and spending time with him than going to training ... family life with him and Carmen [Moodie's fiance] became my new passion," Moodie said from their Gold Coast home this week.
The Westshore club's favourite son, who won five New Zealand Ironman titles and two golds, one in the board race and one in the taplin relay, and two silvers, one in the ironman and one in the board relay as well as a fourth in the ski race at the 2010 world championships in Egypt, retired in 2013 after 14 years in the sport. However that didn't stop him from competing for Westshore at last year's Ohope-hosted nationals "to help make up the numbers" as he put it.
"I did the ski race and the ironman. All of the other competitors were young guys ... it was quite fun," he recalled.
Moodie, 27, has been Gold Coast-based part time since he was 16 and permanently for the past three years. While he still occasionally paddles with his mates at the Northcliffe club and is a regular spectator at carnivals, his main involvement in surf life saving these days is through his job.
The Napier Boys' High School product is one of 15 workers employed by Dolphin Surf Craft who make surf life saving equipment including skis, boards and stand-up paddle boards.
"It's a good job for the lifestyle over here. I work with a good bunch of guys so I can't see myself returning to New Zealand in a hurry ... a major priority at the moment is preparing for our Halloween Wedding in October."
Although Moodie competed at world championship and world games levels, as well as two tri-nations, he said the highlight of his surf life saving career was the year he won his first national ironman title.
"I won the under-19 and open titles in the same year and it was also when my brother Nick won the under-16 ironman, so it was pretty special for the family," he recalled.
Moodie was quick to reply when quizzed on his toughest opponent ... Aussie legend Shannon Eckstein.
"He was by far the standout when it came to ironman and won everything. I beat him in a couple of board races but never in the ironman."
Moodie hasn't ruled out a return to surf life saving in the future, particularly a coaching role if his son takes up the sport.
We couldn't leave Moodie without asking him for some advice for newcomers to the sport.
"Always have fun. At the same time you have to put in the hard work because nothing comes easy and as you get older you have to work harder."