Mel Stands 40ft Tall

PETER Mel battled 40ft waves to take home the Billabong Pico Alto 2011 Copa Burn, presented by Sony. Event two of the Big Wave World Tour and his first big wave win. Peru's monster break Pico Alto demonstrated why it commands the world stage as one of the five stops on the Big Wave World Tour (BWWT). Top surfers from South Africa, Australia, United States, Chile, Dominican Republic, Portugal and Brazil converged on Pico Alto with 48 hours notice to compete along side the top Peruvian big wave surfers at the Billabong Pico Alto 2011 Copa Burn,. At the end of the contest Peter Mel (United States) secured the first place prize, and his first BWWT victory, followed by Ben Wilkinson (Australia) in second and Felipe Cesarano (Brazil) in third. Adrenaline soared for the competitors and spectators alike, as the contest started with great waves in the 30-foot range and continued to grow throughout the day. The hour long final was held in perfect, 35 to 45 foot conditions, offering the biggest and cleanest surf of the event.

"My mentor, Richard Schmidt, came to Peru in the early '80s and he told me about this great big wave," explained Mel. "I've dreamed about surfing Pico Alto. Today, I feel really proud to have won my first Big Wave World Tour event here in Peru." © 2013 BWWT/MSW

Ben Wilkinson (Australia) took command of the heat early, with two excellent scoring waves. His aggressive approach and progressive power surfing initially gave him an edge in the extreme conditions. Legendary standout Peter Mel (United States) also started strong with a solid 9 point ride, and waited until the closing minutes of the final to over take Wilkinson and secure his first big wave victory. Other finalists included Felipe Cesarano (Brazil), Joao De Macedo (Portugal), Jamie Sterling (Hawaii) and Kodiac Semch (Peru).