Before Maverick’s became a household name in the mid-’90s, Peter Mel looked like he’d slip into relative anonymity — a semi-successful pro surfer turned Santa Cruz shaper. As it was, he was on Mav’s every time it broke, rising to prominence along with California’s most famous big wave.

Mel began surfing in nearby Capitola before moving on to Santa Cruz. His father, John, made his boards and gradually brought Mel under his shaping wing. 
In the shadow of Steamer Lane locals Vince Collier, Kevin Reed and especially Richard Schmidt, Mel rose through the ranks with an unprecedented crop of young surfers. He idolized Schmidt for his casual demeanor on land and his bravery in larger surf. Like Schmidt, he would spend extended winters in Hawaii, enjoying the less-restrictive conditions and developing a taste for the big stuff.

Throughout the ’90s, Mel found moderate success chasing points on the domestic and world qualifying tours before finding his niche during California’s El Nino winter of 1997-’98. At an age when most pros hang up their jerseys and go looking for careers in the surf industry, Mel was just coming into his own. 

Known as the “Condor” for his extreme wingspan, he was a shoe-in to claim the $50,000 K2 Big-Wave Challenge for paddling into the winter’s biggest wave, but ended up just short of the honor. Nevertheless, his popularity soared. Mel finished eighth in the 1998Surfer Magazine Reader’s Poll and established himself as California’s premier big-wave rider. His results the following winter — fourth in the Quiksilver events at both Waimea and Maverick’s — further solidified his position.

Mel continues to shape and help run the family business — Freeline Surf Shop in Santa Cruz. As a shaper, he sees new materials as the wave of the future. “With shaping,” he admits, “there’s not much more you can do, but materials are going to get lighter and stronger.” 

He has also acknowledged the limitations of paddle surfing and jumped directly to the forefront of the tow-in frenzy. On October 28, 1999, at Maverick’s, he was towed into the biggest wave ever ridden on the West Coast — one of the biggest waves ever ridden anywhere. He still chases surf around the globe, but spends most of his time focusing on Mav’s just an hour up the road. Currently married with two children, he is at the top of his game — getting paid handsomely to ride the world’s largest waves and still arriving home in time for dinner. – Jason Borte, October 2000