It seemed such a good idea at the time. The Gold Coast’s Mayor Tom Tate, already surfer enemy number one after his push for the Cruiseship marina at Kirra, was hoping to curry some favour. By unveiling a 2 metre bronze statue of Michael Peterson overlooking Kirra, just ahead of the start of the Quiksilver Pro, he must have been hoping to get surfers back on side.

Unfortunately for the Mayor, someone hadn’t told the makers that that when you make a bronze cast the image has to be reversed, so it comes out the right way. The result sees the  metre statue, which has some of MP’s ashes mixed in with the foundations, depicting the Kirra natural footer legend as a goofy. Doh! The council had no choice but to unveil the statue and it seems MP will be now be standing over Kirra, switchfoot, for eternity.