Santa Cruz surfing legend Peter Mel, who turns 55 on Nov. 24, was among those honored Wednesday with invitations to compete in the 2024-25 The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, held at Waimea Bay, on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
The contest window for the heralded event — named in honor of the native Hawaiian big wave surf champion and life-saving lifeguard– opens Dec. 14 and runs through March 13.
Santa Cruz big wave surfer Peter Mel caught the “wave of his life” on this barreling 40- to 45-footer at Mavericks in Jan. of 2021. (Audrey Lambidakis – Special to the Sentinel file)
Open-ocean swells must reach a minimum height of 20 feet, which can feature 30 to 40-foot wave faces, for competition organizers to hold the event. Because of this requirement, the tournament has only been held 10 times since it was first held in 1985.
Former Santa Cruz big wave charger Nic Lamb, who now lives in Los Angeles, and San Diego’s Jojo Roper were among those invited.
Mel, who was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in Huntington Beach in 2022, has competed in the Eddie Aikau every year since 1997.
“You always hope for the best,” said Mel, of the swells meeting the minimum requirement. “It keeps you focused on watching swells throughout the winter.”
Hawaii’s Luke Shepardson is set to defend the title he won in 2023. Five other former champions are also slated to compete: Hawaii’s John John Florence (2016), San Clemente’s Greg Long (2009), Hawaii’s Bruce Irons (2004), Kelly Slater of Cocoa Beach, Florida, (2002), and Australia’s Ross Clarke-Jones (2001).
Luke Shepardson is chaired by fellow big wave surfers Landon McNamara, left, and Billy Kemper after winning The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay on Jan. 22, on Oahu’s North Shore, in Hawaii. (Jamm Aquino – Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
Mel, who produced his best finish, fourth, in the ’04 event, believes he was one wave away from posting a top-10 finish last year. Though the event is so much bigger than placing, he said.
“Yeah, it would be great to have a good finish,” he said. “But now, at my age, just to participate is such an honor. Just how it’s celebrated, the paddle-out, the crowd. There’s people mowing lawns and cutting down trees two days before the event, just to get a better view. It’s like no other event you’ll be in. It’s like a Burning Man for surfing.”
The majority of the invitees hail from the islands. Hawaiians Kohl Christensen, Nathan Florence, Aaron Gold, Mark Healey, Mason Ho, Chad Keaulana, Billy Kemper, Tyler Larronde, Ezekiel Lau, Kai Lenny, Jake Maki, Keali‘I Mamala, Landon McNamara, Torrey Meister, Jamie Mitchell, Jamie O’Brien, Eli Olson, Koa Rothman, Makuakai Rothman, Taio Shipman, and Ian Walsh were also extended invitations.
Santa Cruz’s Peter Mel leaves the water after his first round heat in the Shoe City Pro at Steamer Lane in 2019. (Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel file)
Mel credited local legend Richard Schmidt for opening the door for other Santa Cruz surfers, and Californians, in general, to receive invitationals.
“It was a very Hawaii centric event,” Mel said. “He paved our way in the early 90s. He’s the one who made us aspire to do it.”
Other invitees in the men’s competition include: Australia’s Russell Bierke, Brazil’s Lucas Chianca, Italy’s Francisco Porcella, South Africa’s Matt Bromley, and Tahiti’s Kauli Vaast, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist.
In addition to it being an event like no other, Mel said the break is pretty unique, too.
“It’s different on the entry,” Mel said. “There’s a lot of water moving out because it’s a bay. It makes the drop very different. Water jumps up and makes for a difficult drop.”