For the first time in three years, contest worthy waves hit the legendary surf break that is located a half mile off shore of Pillar Point. Typically with only 48-hours notice, contest organizers stay focused on the incoming forecast in order to project when the best waves will be. This year, the swell hit on January 20, 2013, and the top surfers from around the world scrambled to make it in time to compete. Surfers featured at this year’s event included Peter Mel, Chris Bertish, Carlos Burle, Greg Long, Grant “Twiggy” Baker and Mark Healey.

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In a big-wave event of this caliber, we’ve come to expect certain things, namely terrifying waves and surfers pushing themselves to their limits and beyond to meet the challenge. It was clear this morning that the day would not embody that ideal, but the call had been made—police were cordoning off streets, helicopters were circling overhead, 24 big-wave surfers had dropped everything to be there, and thousands of fans were descending upon the small town. The hype juggernaut had built up enough inertia to plough through anything, even a tepid ocean. The show would go on regardless of the conditions.

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Festival grounds with a capacity of about 12,000 sold out Sunday near the Oceano Hotel and Spa, where the action was shown on a big screen about a mile from Maverick’s break for the first time.

The temperature reached a balmy 66 degrees, Highway 1 was jammed, and the surfers made it look like a blast to race down big waves. Head judge Gary Linden said the surf was 12 to 15 feet with occasional 18-foot sets.

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Peter Mel took the top honors and raised the title, at Half Moon Bay. The dozens of media boats captured intense moments, in which the images speak for themselves. At Mavericks, only cold bloods prevail.

Take a look at the best pictures from the Mavericks Invitational 2012-2013. The next swell is already in the making.

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He was 22 when he first started surfing the spot, just up the road from his hometown of Santa Cruz. By training there through the years, he would become one of the best big-wave riders in the world, living the life of a professional surfer and traveling the world in the hunt for big waves.

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Orange County was well represented at this year’s Mavericks Invitational in Half Moon Bay, with Newport Beach resident Pete Mel taking top honors at the surfing competition that draws the sport’s top riders from around the world.

Greg Long of San Clemente took third place among the 24 surfers that competed Sunday amid conditions that would be considered dangerous in most surf spots, but not at Mavericks. While waves reached the 25- to 30-feet range, long lulls between ridable waves frustrated some of the competitors.

Mel, 42, won for the first time and decided to split the $50,000 prize with the other finalists.

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After numerous behind the scenes struggles between Jeff Clark, Mavericks Surf Ventures and a core group of riders hoping to control the event, the 2013 Mavericks Invitational was announced to the world as a Can’t Miss event. A “viewers’ village” was erected, a beer garden roped off and a jumbotron installed to make the event as fan-friendly as possible. The contest organizers thought of everything except for making the right call on when to run the event. The traditional 24-hour window was abandoned giving riders, media, and fans four days to book their hotel rooms, grab their sunscreen, and descend upon Half Moon Bay in an orderly, pre-ordained manner.

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Despite moving to Orange County a few years ago to work at Quiksilver, Pete Mel never turned into a Salt Creek groveler. One of NorCal’s all-time best, Mel returned to his home waters just in time to wax the competition at the 2013 Mavericks Invitational—one of the pinnacles of big wave surfing. And while the lulls were long enough to make spectators and competitors alike fall asleep, when the waves did come through they were picture perfect 12-15 foot peaks. Mel’s casual style and long swooping turns were enough to get past fellow finalists Zach Wormhoudt, Greg Long, Alex Martins, Mark Healey, and Shawn Dollar. And in a move that has become tradition in big wave surfing events, Pete decided to split his $50,000 pay day with his fellow finalists. Congrats Condor!

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