Mark Occhilupo

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Mark Occhilupo, known as Occy, is an Australian surfer born on June 16, 1966, in Kurnell, Sydney. He turned pro at 17 on the World Championship Tour and became famous for his powerful, aggressive style. After years of struggling with depression and substance use, he quit the tour in the late 1980s. He made a dramatic comeback in 1995 and went on to win the 1999 ASP World Tour title at age 33, marking him as one of surfing’s great champions. He has won about a dozen World Championship Tour events in his career.

Occhilupo retired from full-time competition and lives in Bilambil Heights, New South Wales, with his wife Beatrice and their family. He briefly returned to international surfing in 2019 for the So Sri Lanka Pro. Off the water, he works as a presenter on Fuel TV, appeared on Dancing with the Stars Australia in 2011, and hosts the Occ-Cast podcast, where he talks with surfing stars like Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning. His Italian surname means “eyes of the wolf,” and his nickname is “The Raging Bull.”