Michael Peterson (surfer)

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Michael Peterson
Born24 September 1952
Died29 March 2012(2012-03-29) (aged 59)[1]
Tweed Heads South, New South Wales, Australia[2]
NationalityAustralian
OccupationSurfer
Years active1973–2012

Michael "MP" Peterson (24 September 1952 – 29 March 2012) was a professional Australian surfer, regarded as one of the country's leading surfers during the early to mid-1970s. He was particularly known for his deep tube riding skill at Kirra on the Gold Coast, Australia. Peterson was the Australian champion in the years 1972 and 1974 and won several other major surfing competitions. Later in life, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and became publicly associated in usage of illicit drugs.[3]

Youth

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Peterson was born 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.[4]

Peterson began surfing on "surf-o-planes," an inflatable rubber mat device invented in 1932,[5] before progressing to a "Coolite," a board made from polystyrene beaded foam introduced in the early 1970s.[6]

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.[4]

Death

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On 29 March 2012, Peterson died of a heart attack whilst inside his Australian home at Tweed Heads South, New South Wales; he was 59 years of age.[2] Peterson was honored with a memorial service at Kirra. Mick Fanning, Rabbit Bartholomew and Kelly Slater were in attendance. Doug 'Claw' Warbrick spoke at the send off.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Heart attack claims surfing great Michael Peterson | MP | The Life". Smh.com.au. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Surf icon Michael Peterson dies". www.mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Michael Peterson | Monument Australia". monumentaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Nick Carroll (July 2001). "Surfing A to Z – Coolite". Surfline – Know Before You Go. Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Goodbye to the King of Kirra". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2017.

Sources

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