This year the Surfers’ Hall of Fame will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a rededication ceremony from the Pai Family, who founded the Surfers’ Hall of Fame memorial to the world’s best surfers, industry leaders and those who have supported the stoke of surfing. In addition to the rededication ceremony, the Surfers’ Hall of Fame will induct its 2022 honorees including Peter Mel, Martin Daly and Michele Turner on Friday, Aug. 5 at 9am at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street.
“As we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, we want to take a moment to rededicate our commitment to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame and to surfers and surfing at the epicenter of the Surfing World,” said Aaron Pai, founder of Surfers’ Hall of Fame. “This year’s honorees have contributed so much to riding waves, and supporting our Surfing Community, and staving off hunger after a local surf session. We are grateful to Peter Mel, Martin Daly, and Michele Turner for their commitment to surfing and the surf community.”
The honorees include:
- Surfer Peter Mel is a legendary big wave rider who found his footing on the Big Wave Tour where he was crowned champion in 2012 and has continued to surf big waves, winning contests over the past three decades. Mel placed first in the 1997 O’Neill Coldwater Classic, 1stin the Billabong Pico Alto Copa Burn, and 1st in the 2013 Mavericks Invitational. Most recently Mel was awarded the 2021 Red Bull Big Wave ride of the year for a Mavericks giant. Mel is also a broadcaster for the World Surf League and his commentary brings valuable insights and the perspective of experience. Peter Mel has influenced generations of surfers on how to catch and surf big waves! Mel is known as “big wave’ surfer and his son John Mel is a four-time surfing National Champion.
- Martin Daly is a legendary Surf Explorer, boat captain, surfer, and diver who has discovered incredible waves in the Mentawai’s. Daly left his hometown as a teen to explore the world, working on dive and salvage boats in Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines before purchasing his own boat with the proceeds from salvaged undersea treasure. Since the 1980’s Daly has run boat charters that take surfers to the waves of their dreams. He continues to give back to the community providing relief aid after the Tsunamis in Indonesia and supports coral health programs and research on nuclear debris in the Bikini Atoll. The relationship with the ocean, being out there in the environment with your friends and family, sharing those magic experiences that only surfing can provide, that’s what it is all about. That’s what Martin has dedicated his life to. That’s what he’s given to so many people. He’s opened up the world and changed lives. It’s about as pure as it gets.
- Michele Turner is the Surf Mom of Main Street. Her restaurant The Sugar Shack Café is world famous for a post-dawn patrol breakfast where legends and locals alike talk story over fluffy pancakes and hearty breakfast burritos. Turner opened the doors to the Sugar Shack in 1967 and for 55 years “The Shack,” as it’s known to locals, has supported the HBHS Surf Team, NSSA and hosted the world’s best in town for the U.S. Open of Surfing. The walls of the Shack tell the story of its history with photos of renowned surfers and hopefuls. The mother of surfers Timmy and Ryan Turner, Turner is also the grandmother of 11 and the godmother of countless surfers.
Surfers’ Hall of Fame
The nation’s first imprint collection of legendary surfers, the Surfers’ Hall of Fame celebrated its first induction in 1997 inside of specialty retailer Huntington Surf & Sport where several slabs remain. Four years later with the blessing of the City Council and a stunning bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku serving as a backdrop, the ceremony moved outside to the corner of PCH and Main, less than 100 feet from the famed Huntington Beach Pier, site of the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing.
The Pai Family along with the Surfers’ Hall of Fame is steadfast in their passion to continue this legacy of paying tribute to those who contribute greatly to the sport of surfing.
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony pays tribute to those individuals who have made an indelible mark on the sport, industry, and culture of surfing. Annually, tens of thousands of visitors travel to Huntington Beach’s downtown area and literally walk in the footsteps of surfing superstars and legends from several eras including Laird Hamilton, Andy Irons, Jack O’Neill, Robert August, Bob Hurley, Sean Collins, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Gerry Lopez, George Downing, Ben Aipa, Shane Dorian, Greg Noll, Corky Carroll, Rick Fignetti, Shaun Tomson, Rob Machado, Sumo Sato, Timmy Turner, Ryan Turner, Casey Wheat, Shawn Stussy, Rabbit Kekai, Bethany Hamilton, Mick Fanning, Brett Simpson and many more, who are already immortalized in cement.
