Michael Peterson (surfer)
Michael Peterson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 September 1952 |
| Died | 29 March 2012 (aged 59) Tweed Heads South, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation | Surfer |
| Years active | 1973–2012 |
Michael "MP" Peterson (24 September 1952 – 29 March 2012), nicknamed "The King of Kirra", was a professional Australian surfer, regarded as one of the country's leading surfers during the early to mid-1970s.
Early life
Michael Peterson was born on 24 September 1952[1] into a working-class family and lived in several locations before the family settled in Coolangatta on Queensland's Gold Coast when he was 15. He lived there with his mother, Joan, his younger brother, Tommy, and his younger sisters, Dorothy (Dot) and Denice.[2]
Surfing career
Peterson began surfing on "surf-o-planes," an inflatable rubber mat device invented in 1932,[3] before progressing to a "Coolite," a board made from polystyrene beaded foam introduced in the early 1970s.[4]
Peterson got his first surfboard in 1966 by retrieving broken and abandoned boards that had washed up on the rocks at Greenmount Beach. Since leg ropes had not yet been introduced, surfers often lost their boards in the waves, allowing people like Peterson to collect the remains. He and his brother would take the damaged boards home, make rough repairs, and return to the water to test them.[2]
Peterson was particularly known for his deep tube riding skill at Kirra on the Gold Coast, Australia; for this, he earned the nickname "The King of Kirra". He was the Australian champion in the years 1972 and 1974 and won several other major surfing competitions.[1]
In film
Peterson appeared in Albe Falzon's 1971 film Morning of the Earth.[1]
Jolyon Hoff's made a feature documentary biopic about him, titled Searching For Michael Peterson, released in 2009.[5][6]
Later life, death and legacy
Later in life, Peterson was diagnosed with schizophrenia.[1]
On 29 March 2012, he died of a heart attack whilst inside his Australian home at Tweed Heads South, New South Wales; he was 59 years of age.[7][8]
Peterson was honoured with a memorial service on 14 April 2012 at Kirra, with Mick Fanning, Rabbit Bartholomew, and Kelly Slater in attendance. Doug 'Claw' Warbrick addressed the crowd of 500 cheering mourners at the send-off.[9]
A memorial to Peterson was erected at Marine Parade, Big Groyne, Kirra Point, dedicated on 1 March, 2014.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Michael Peterson". Monument Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ a b Martin Childs (17 April 2012). "Michael Peterson: Surfer whose glittering career was ended by his troubled life". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ Geoff Cater. "pods for primates : a catalogue of surfboards in australia since 1900 – 1933 Surf-o-plane 2 ft 7". surfresearch.com.au. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ Nick Carroll (July 2001). "Surfing A to Z – Coolite". Surfline – Know Before You Go. Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "Surf Film Archive". Noosa Festival of Surfing 2026. 14 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ^ Hoff, Jolyon (21 November 2024). "Interview: Jolyon Hoff". Cinema Australia (Interview). Interviewed by Eeles, Matthew. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ^ "Heart attack claims surfing great Michael Peterson | MP | The Life". Smh.com.au. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
- ^ "Surf icon Michael Peterson dies". www.mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
- ^ "Goodbye to the King of Kirra". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
Sources
- Sean Doherty, MP: The Life of Michael Peterson, HarperCollins, 2004, ISBN 0-7322-7609-8.
External links
- Michael Petersen pictures at surfresearch.com.au
- Michael Peterson at IMDb