Mark Occhilupo
Encyclopedia
Marco Jay Luciano "Mark" Occhilupo (born 16 June 1966) is an Australian surfer and winner of the 1999 World surfing champion title.
Occhilupo, also known as Occy, began his professional career in the World Championship Tour (WCT) at the age of 17.
, where he began surfing at the age of nine. He soon progressed to neighboring Cronulla.
He won his first amateur Schoolboys contest at 13 and followed up with two Cadet State Titles. After the 10th grade, he left home as an ASP trialist. Virtually unnoticed, he snuck into the Top 16 at year’s end, securing a seed for the following year.
In 1984, Occy shot to the top of the ASP ratings as a cocky 17-year-old and set performance standards over the next few years that still haven’t been matched. At Jeffreys Bay, his power and aggression turned backhand surfing into an advantage.
Even in America, where Tom Curren
had become somewhat of a surfing deity, Occy was adored. In surfing’s biggest spectator event, the Op Pro, the two engaged in a rivalry. With aspirations in the acting field, Occy played himself in the 1987 Hollywood flop, North Shore
. Professional surfing was peaking, and Curren and Occy were the superheroes, delivering the surf industry unprecedented wealth. He hovered around the top five in the ratings, but some unfortunate influences steered him from a world title that many felt he deserved.
However, the popular surfer struggled with depression
. Years on the tour burned him out. He lost focus; he lost his desire to surf. The young, aggressive surfer faded away from the ’80s spotlight and into a subdued existence. Then, in 1988, his life started to unravel. From a simple and busy existence of vegetarianism, yoga, and competition, he began to indulge in activities that he had avoided in his early life because he hadn't had time to be a rascal teenager. Indulging in drug and alcohol use, partying, and showing disregard for his gift became the object of his life. A touchy subject still to this day, Occy basically lived the young Aussie surfer's lifestyle typical of the time. Burned out on the tour, he threw a quarterfinal heat at the Op and headed home to Cronulla. At that point, he struggled with motivation and his ever-fluctuating weight. He quit the World Tour in the early 1990s.
Over the next several years, he made a couple of half-hearted comeback attempts and remained in the public eye as a repeating star of Jack McCoy’s Billabong
videos. Married in 1993 to Beatrice Ballardie, he built a house near Kirra, sat on the couch, and basically didn't get up for more than a year. From his 111-kilo peak, he began a training program under McCoy in Western Australia that helped him shed 34 kilos and regain his form.
As the years passed, the time away gave Occhilupo a clearer vision of his goal: to dominate the world circuit by making an incredible comeback. In 1995, he re-entered the surfing arena, proving he could still capture a title. With some major wins under his comeback belt, Occhilupo stunned the surfing world by capturing the world title in 1999 at the age of 33. From his home in Billambil Heights, Queensland, where he lived with Beatrice and stepson Raynor, Occy's long overdue reign had finally begun.
With well over 20 years of competition under his belt, 2005 saw him contemplate retirement; but after a solid year wherein he was recognised as putting on arguably the best backside performance ever seen at Jeffreys Bay
and with an immense amount of fan support, Occy changed his plans and is back to give the youngsters (who are literally half his age) plenty of stick.
.
He will be a contestant in the 2011 season of Dancing With The Stars
on Channel Seven
.
His surname, Occhilupo, is Italian
and means "eyes of the wolf." However, his nickname is "The Raging Bull."
He currently resides with his family in Bilambil Heights, a hillside suburb of the Gold Coast
neighbouring town Tweed Heads.
Occhilupo, also known as Occy, began his professional career in the World Championship Tour (WCT) at the age of 17.
Life and career
Occhilupo was born on 16 June 1966 in Kurnell, New South WalesKurnell, New South Wales
Kurnell is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kurnell is located south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire....
, where he began surfing at the age of nine. He soon progressed to neighboring Cronulla.
He won his first amateur Schoolboys contest at 13 and followed up with two Cadet State Titles. After the 10th grade, he left home as an ASP trialist. Virtually unnoticed, he snuck into the Top 16 at year’s end, securing a seed for the following year.
In 1984, Occy shot to the top of the ASP ratings as a cocky 17-year-old and set performance standards over the next few years that still haven’t been matched. At Jeffreys Bay, his power and aggression turned backhand surfing into an advantage.
Even in America, where Tom Curren
Tom Curren
Tom Curren Tom Curren Tom Curren (born July 3, 1964, in Santa Barbara, California is an American surfer. He was born to father Pat (big-wave legend and shaper) and mother Jeanine. His brother Joe is also a professional surfer and popular photographer and he also has a sister, Anna....
had become somewhat of a surfing deity, Occy was adored. In surfing’s biggest spectator event, the Op Pro, the two engaged in a rivalry. With aspirations in the acting field, Occy played himself in the 1987 Hollywood flop, North Shore
North Shore (film)
North Shore is a 1987 film about Rick Kane , a young fictional surfer from a wave tank in Arizona, who heads to surf the season on the North Shore of Oahu and see if he has the skills to cut it as a pro surfer...
. Professional surfing was peaking, and Curren and Occy were the superheroes, delivering the surf industry unprecedented wealth. He hovered around the top five in the ratings, but some unfortunate influences steered him from a world title that many felt he deserved.
However, the popular surfer struggled with depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. Years on the tour burned him out. He lost focus; he lost his desire to surf. The young, aggressive surfer faded away from the ’80s spotlight and into a subdued existence. Then, in 1988, his life started to unravel. From a simple and busy existence of vegetarianism, yoga, and competition, he began to indulge in activities that he had avoided in his early life because he hadn't had time to be a rascal teenager. Indulging in drug and alcohol use, partying, and showing disregard for his gift became the object of his life. A touchy subject still to this day, Occy basically lived the young Aussie surfer's lifestyle typical of the time. Burned out on the tour, he threw a quarterfinal heat at the Op and headed home to Cronulla. At that point, he struggled with motivation and his ever-fluctuating weight. He quit the World Tour in the early 1990s.
Over the next several years, he made a couple of half-hearted comeback attempts and remained in the public eye as a repeating star of Jack McCoy’s Billabong
Billabong (clothing)
Billabong International is a clothing company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange since 11 August 2000. Billabong was founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant....
videos. Married in 1993 to Beatrice Ballardie, he built a house near Kirra, sat on the couch, and basically didn't get up for more than a year. From his 111-kilo peak, he began a training program under McCoy in Western Australia that helped him shed 34 kilos and regain his form.
As the years passed, the time away gave Occhilupo a clearer vision of his goal: to dominate the world circuit by making an incredible comeback. In 1995, he re-entered the surfing arena, proving he could still capture a title. With some major wins under his comeback belt, Occhilupo stunned the surfing world by capturing the world title in 1999 at the age of 33. From his home in Billambil Heights, Queensland, where he lived with Beatrice and stepson Raynor, Occy's long overdue reign had finally begun.
With well over 20 years of competition under his belt, 2005 saw him contemplate retirement; but after a solid year wherein he was recognised as putting on arguably the best backside performance ever seen at Jeffreys Bay
Jeffreys Bay
Jeffreys Bay is a town located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town is situated just off the N2 Highway, about an hour's drive southwest of Port Elizabeth.- History :...
and with an immense amount of fan support, Occy changed his plans and is back to give the youngsters (who are literally half his age) plenty of stick.
Post surfing
Occhilupo is currently a presenter on the Australian cable television channel Fuel TVFuel TV
Fuel TV is a U.S. cable and satellite specialty channel that launched on July 1, 2003. It focuses on the cultures of such extreme sports as skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, motocross, surfing, BMX and FMX. It is a unit of Fox Cable Networks and is currently available to 26-million...
.
He will be a contestant in the 2011 season of Dancing With The Stars
Dancing with the Stars (Australian Season 11)
The 11th Season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on Sunday 8 May 2011 at 6:30pm on Channel Seven. Daniel MacPherson and Sonia Kruger returned as hosts, along with judges Todd McKenney and Helen Richey. Australian dancer Joshua Horner joined the judging panel as a replacement for Mark Wilson...
on Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
.
His surname, Occhilupo, is Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and means "eyes of the wolf." However, his nickname is "The Raging Bull."
He currently resides with his family in Bilambil Heights, a hillside suburb of the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
neighbouring town Tweed Heads.