Peter Mel

Peter Mel (born November 24, 1969 in Santa Cruz, California), is a professional surfer and the 2012/2013 Mavericks Invitational Surfing Champion. Mel began his surfing life in Capitola, California before moving on to Santa Cruz. His father John, who started the family business Freeline Surf Design the same year Pete was born, made his boards over the years and gradually brought his son under his shaping wing. In the shadow of Steamer Lane locals Vince Collier, Kevin Reed and especially Richard Schmidt, Mel rose quickly through the line-up ranks with an unprecedented crop of young surfers. Like Schmidt, he would spend many winters in Hawaii, enjoying the less-restrictive conditions and developing his signature style.Throughout the 1990s, Mel found moderate success on the domestic and ASP World Tour Qualifying Series, before finally finding his niche during California’s El Nino winter of 1997-98. At the age of 29, Mel was really just coming into his own.Known in Santa Cruz as the “Condor” for his extreme wingspan (A nickname Mel was less than fond of), Peter was a shoo-in to claim the $50,000 Billabong XXL Big-Wave Challenge, for paddling into the winter’s biggest wave, but this was not to be and Peter ended up just short of the honor that year. Mel finished eighth in the 1998 Surfer Magazine Reader’s Poll Awards and established himself as California’s premier big-wave rider. Interestingly enough, Peter also appeared on the big screen opposite Gerard Butler in Chasing Mavericks. Today, Peter Mel is broadcaster for the World Surf League http://www.worldsurfleague.com/ , continues to Surf as an endorsed Athlete and help run the family business in Santa Cruz. Most notably Peter has conquered a dream of his being crowned the Big Wave World Champion 2011/2012 The Big Wave World Tour concluded its third successful season crowning Mel as Big Wave World Tour Champion. The season started out strong at the extremely consistent big wave spot Punta de Lobos, Chile, home of the Quiksilver Ceremonial. The contest was held under sunny skies, perfect offshore winds and flawless 40+ft waves. The second stop on the tour, Billabong Pico Alto Invitational, was held at the famed Peruvian Big Wave Spot, in clean and consistent 35–40 ft waves. Mel won the final. Immediately following his victory, fellow Quiksilver rider, Kelly Slater tweeted, ”It’s about time Pete.” Mel cemented his legacy as one of the best big wave surfers to come out of Santa Cruz long before he surfed at Pico Alto in Peru. For obvious reasons, Im very excited about it. Any time you throw a world title in front of anything, its what it says. Its an achievement, said Mel, who accepted the award on April 29. Its not something I thought I would achieve in my dreams. Following the end of the 2013 season, Peter Mel entered retirement from the pro surfing circuit, and, subsequently, becoming the World Surf Leagues (WSL) first Big Wave World Tour (BWWT) commissioner for the WSLs inaugural 2014-5 season.Image:Peter Mel Surfing.jpg|Mavericks Image:Peter Mel at Cortez Bank.jpg|Cortés Bank Image:Peter Mel Lip Floater.jpg|Santa Cruz Image:Eddie Aikau Contest.jpg|Eddie Aikau ContestPeter Mel Is a remarkable surfer and is related to John Mel. John Mel is Peter Mels father. John is a very talented surfer as well. Peter named his son after his father who has now followed in both of their footsteps. Young John Mel is a two time National Champion himself. Peter has appeared in movies such as Step into Liquid, Riding Giants and Chasing Mavericks.

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