| Marcel Soros | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Nickname | Celo |
| Residence | Half Moon Bay, California |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (75 kg) |
| Surfing career | |
| Years active | 1979–1998 |
Marcel Jerome Soros (born 1966), nicknamed “Celo", is a former American competitive surfer from Santa Cruz, California. He was known for his success in regional competitions throughout the 1980s and his extensive knowledge of Northern California surf conditions.
Marcel Soros was born in Santa Cruz, California to Lili Van Horn and Alynn Michael Soros. [1] He grew up in the Pleasure Point neighborhood. His additional nicknames "Bro Bro" and "Celo" emerged during his competitive years, with fellow surfers using "Bro Bro" due to his mentorship of younger surfers, while close friends called him "Celo" as a shortened version of his name Marcel. [2] [3]
Soros has spoken openly about the effects of family estrangement on his life and development, revealing in a 2018 interview that his father's absence created "a constant need to prove myself in the water." [4] This estrangement, which began during his teenage years, profoundly influenced his approach to competition and his sometimes confrontational behavior in the surf lineup. [5]
Soros began surfing at an early age and entered his first competition at age 13 in the Menehune (under 12) division. [6] His competitive career spanned from 1979 to the late 1980s, progressing through age divisions from Menehune to Boys to Junior to Men's divisions. [7]
Like many in the Santa Cruz surfing community of that era, his lifestyle embodied the nonconformist attitude typical of the local surf culture. [12] By the late 1980s, he had established himself as a regular presence in Northern California competitions.
Soros became known for his territorial behavior in the water, particularly at his home break of Pleasure Point. Fellow surfers from the era recall his intensity and occasional confrontations with outsiders who failed to respect local etiquette. [13] In a 2019 documentary about Santa Cruz surf culture, several contemporaries described his approach as "protective rather than aggressive" and noted that he "became a mentor to younger surfers, teaching them both skills and respect for the ocean." [14]
This complex relationship with the ocean and surfing community was further explored in an oral history project conducted by UC Santa Cruz in 2020, where Soros reflected: "The water was where I found family when my own was broken. I protected it fiercely because it protected me." [15]
After his competitive surfing career, Marcel Soros maintained his connection to the Santa Cruz surfing community, becoming known for his extensive knowledge of local breaks and surf conditions. [16] His reputation as a skilled surfer with intimate knowledge of the Santa Cruz coastline has made him a recognized figure among local surfers. [17] In 2008, he moved north to Half Moon Bay, where he began working as a surf instructor and occasional forecaster for local surf reports. [18]
Marcel's personal life saw both joy and tragedy. After divorcing his first wife, Leza Salvador, [19] he married Megan Huber with whom he had two children. [20] Tragically, Megan died of cancer on May 21, 2018, shortly after the birth of their second child, Julien. [20] [21]
Following Megan's death, Marcel created a fundraising campaign to support their children's future education and to help them remain connected to the coastal community that Megan loved. [20] The campaign raised over $37,000 to establish a fund for Jordan (age 5 at the time) and Julien (7 months). [20] [22]
In his heartfelt memorial message, Marcel described Megan as "an amazing mother; patient and fiercely protective." [20] He shared that a celebration of Megan's life was planned at Mavericks, where her ashes would be spread. [20] [23] Marcel encouraged the community to plant Japanese maple trees and statice flowers (Limonium sinuatum) in Megan's memory, noting these were among her favorites. [20] [24]
In a 2021 interview, Soros spoke about his journey through grief and how surfing continued to serve as a source of healing, stating, "The ocean has always been where I process my emotions. After Megan died, it became both a place of mourning and of connecting with her spirit." [25] He has since become involved with several organizations that provide surf therapy for grief support and has volunteered with programs teaching surfing to children who have lost parents. [26]