Mel Wins Mavs
Mon 21 January 2013 Local ballie Peter Mel, 43, won the Mavericks Invitational at Half Moon Bay in clean 18' surf yesterday. None of the two Saffas, Chris Bertish or Grant Baker, could find the right waves in the long period swell.
Like when Greg Long won the event in 2008, Mel split his $50,000 winnings with the other ous in the final. Alex Martins of San Francisco was second, followed by Greg Long, Zach Wormhoudt, Mark Healey, and Shawn Dollar.
You will remember Dollar, a board caddy in the huge 2010 event for Ken Skindog Collins, who casually took off between heats on a 55 foot behemoth that got him into the Guinness Book of World Records and the Billabong XXL title for biggest paddle in wave ... ever.
Mel, who has been surfing for 25 years and was named Big Wave World Champion for the 2011-12 season, has ridden in the event every year since it began in 1999.
It was a curious day, with Neptune teasing the lineup as sporadic 18' sets thundered through between long lulls. Some waves in a spaced out, deep period swell growled and grew on the inside, but lacked that terrorising takeoff that Mavericks is known for.
It was a curious day, with Neptune teasing the lineup as sporadic 18' sets thundered through between long lulls. Some waves in a spaced out, deep period swell growled and grew on the inside, but lacked that terrorising takeoff that Mavericks is known for. As an illustration, a SUP managed to take off on a biggish but fat set wave minutes before the first heat began.
But the weather was nice, and the footage for headline sponsors GoPro - cameras were everywhere and adorned many of the boards - was crisp and clear. Every once in a while a 20 footer would loom into view, but the surfers, particularly in the 2nd heat featuring Cape Town's Chris Bertish, struggled to find waves.
Technical issues plagued the web stream, with the host site crashing most of the time. However, the feed worked via Surfline and Red Bull TV, and viewers around the world got a taste.
It was the first time the event was held since Bertish won it in massive 25-30ft bombs in 2010. Half Moon Bay, 20 minutes south of San Francisco, featured recently in the Hollywood film Chasing Mavericks in which Long and Mel were stunt doubles and actors.
Access for spectators this year was restricted after an infragravity wave, common when big surf breaks out the back, surged onto the beach in 2010 and slammed into the crowds, injuring several.