Santa Cruz legend Peter Mel charged his way to the top of the podium at the Pico Alto-Copa Burn Big Wave Invitational yesterday in solid surf. A 30 foot plus Southern hemi provided the required juice at Pico Alto, a menacing deep water right-hander located near Lima, Peru.

Glassy conditions and sets pushing 40 feet, combined with some of the world's best big wave wranglers and you've got one heck of a contest. The final heat included defending Big Wave World Champ Jamie Sterling, who finished 5th.

Mel, who can trace his own heritage back to Peru, has climbed to the top of the Big Wave World Tour with this victory after a semi-final finish in the first event of the year in Chile. He plans to compete in the next scheduled event at Nelscott Reef in Oregon in November.

1. Peter Mel (California)
2. Ben Wilkinson (Australia)
3. Felipe Cesarano (Brazil)
4. Joao de Macedo (Portugal)
5. Jamie Sterling (Hawaii)
6. Kodiak Semsch (Peru)



video by OlasPeruTV