Santa Cruz surf culture is so loved by locals that many became teary in yesterday’s ceremony, which honored and pledged to protect it—on a global level.

Coastal organizations, local surf lovers and legends, and politicians met above the famous break at Steamers Lane yesterday, for Santa Cruz’s WSR dedication, along with dozens of locals, old surf memorabilia and a fleet of “Woodies” glistening in the sun.

The World Surfing Reserve was founded in 2009, by a group of international surfers, environmentalists and scientists, led by Save the Wave and NSR Aurstralia. Its mission is one of extreme foresight, aiming to protect the world’s best breaks at all costs. Afterall, incubating and embracing surf culture aids the coastal regions environmentally as well as economically, a point that Santa Cruz city council member John Leopold made in a speech at Pleasure Point earlier in the day.

Santa Cruz is the fourth World Surfing Reserve on the globe, alongside: Malibu, U.S. Ericeira, Portugal; and Manly Beach, Australia.

Peter Douglas, who fought for decades to preserve the California coast — treasured for its vast stretches of pristine beaches, jagged cliffs and delicate wetlands — died on April 1 at his sister’s home in La Quinta, Calif. He was 69.

The cause was lung cancer, his son Vanja said.

For 26 years, Mr. Douglas was the executive director of the California Coastal Commission, the powerful state agency that he helped create with a mandate to keep the coast open to the public — and one that set a high standard for its counterparts in other states.

He brought a profound passion for the sea to the task.

Mr. Douglas was a boy when he, his mother and sister boarded a ship to cross the English Channel while emigrating from Germany after World War II, eventually coming to the United States. The roiling currents and tides entranced him, he once said, creating “an intangible, unbreakable, lifelong bond.”

It became his mission to ensure that all Californians could swim, surf, fish or just see the sea along the 1.5 million acres of the state’s 1,100 miles of coastline — to the consternation of many commercial interests and property owners.

Mr. Douglas was the executive director of the commission from 1985 until November, when he stepped down because of his declining health.

Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, has claimed the 2012 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Ranger over reigning 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 40, in offshore three-to-five foot (1 – 1.5 metre) waves at Bells Beach.

Event No. 2 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach culminated in dramatic fashion today with pundits calling it the “best Final in event history.”

The Australian and American went blow for blow throughout the 35-minute bout, exchanging massive scores and the lead several times before the dust settled.

“I’m so pumped,” Fanning said. “Kelly (Slater) did that Hail Mary for the 10 and I thought, ‘oh, here we go.’ I just caught waves and I’m stoked it all paid off. I’m really at a loss for words and I’m just pumped. It doesn’t get any sweeter. The crowd’s been amazing with the whole amphitheater and the history that comes with it. I always picture this event and have had some seconds over the years, so to get this one, I’m so pumped.”