After 30 years of involvement with the Arctic Winter Games International Committee – including the last 20 years as president – Gerry Thick has retired.

On Thursday, the Games' International Committee announced that Jens Brinch has been elected president.

"It was time to pass the torch on to someone else,” Thick told the Star today. "I've been trying to retire since 2010 ... No time is an opportune time to retire, because people depend on you. You just have to do it.”

The manager of Northland Beverages in Whitehorse turned 70 today.

Thick had served on the Games' international committee since 1985, making him the longest serving member of the group.

"I had a lot of late nights,” he said of the role. "I've actually had host societies say to me ‘Don't you go to bed at night?' They'd be getting emails from me at 3 o'clock in the morning. But I enjoyed that. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't enjoy it.”

Thick said Brinch was the right choice to succeed him.

"I think they're going to be in good shape,” he said. "I think Jens is an excellent choice to lead the committee. He's very well-educated and I think he'll do a great job.”

Brinch of Greenland had nothing but kind words for Thick following his exit.

"Gerry's contribution to the Arctic Winter Games has been truly remarkable,” Brinch said. "His commitment and leadership in nurturing and protecting the extraordinary impact that the Arctic Winter Games has on the people of the North has been nothing less than outstanding.

"We will truly miss Gerry's unique direction, dedication and support.”

Thick refused to take sole credit for the progression of the Arctic Winter Games over the past two decades, pointing instead to the diligent work of the entire committee.

"I was only president, and I really was a spokesperson for the international committee,” he said. "But I'm happy about what the committee has accomplished.”

Thick began his tenure as president in a controversial time, with the 1994 Games featuring the last of adult participation in the tournament's major sports, he noted.

"I can't take credit for that,” Thick said of the decision to thrust Northern youth into the Games' spotlight.

"That was a decision of the committee, and I can be honest with you, and tell you that when that happened, I didn't really agree with it. But I had to be part of the overseeing of that and it turned out great.”

He said the committee's goal continues to be giving the youth of the North a chance to compete in a multi-sport environment of their calibre.

"The international participation is more predominant now then it was then,” Thick said of his 20-year term as president.

"During my tenure, we strengthened that part of the Games.

"I'm pretty proud that the Games have become a staple in all of the jurisdictions,” he added. "I've been on there a long time and the Games mean a lot to me. It is really hard to just retire.”

In 1996, Thick was named to the Yukon Sports Hall of Fame as a builder.

Meanwhile, Brinch has a degree in sport science from the University of Copenhagen and has taught and trained coaches at various levels.

He is also a lecturer and author, penning a number of sport psychology and sport science works.

Brinch became international director for the Greenland Sport Confederation in 1997 and was instrumental in increasing the jurisdiction's participation in the Arctic Winter Games.

He has served on the committee since 1998 and before his election was the director responsible for international affairs.

Brinch has spent the last 25 years working on a variety of aspects within international sports policy, working with sports development in eastern Europe and Africa, and for four years was chairman of "Play the Game,” an organization working towards more democracy and transparency in international sports organizations.

"I am truly honoured to have been selected by my colleagues for this important role in northern and circumpolar sport development,” Brinch said in a press release.

"I look forward to working with the committee members, chefs de mission, the participating governments and others in our cooperative efforts to support and evolve the Games as they continue to positively impact all of our communities.”

The international committee holds elections every two years.

Another change this year sees John Rodda of Eagle River, Alaska, elected vice-president.

Rodda, a lifelong Alaskan, has been active with the Arctic Winter Games since they were first held in Anchorage in 1974 and was president of the very successful 1996 Chugiak-Eagle River Games. He has served with the Games committee since 1997.

The Arctic Winter Games is a high-profile circumpolar sport competition.

The 2016 Games will take place in Nuuk, Greenland, but will feature a smaller athlete contingent than usual, as six sports cannot be hosted due to a lack of ice facilities.

The Games include participation from Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Northern Alberta, Nunavut, Greenland, Nunavik (Quebec), Yamal (Russia) and Sápmi.