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Maverick’s 2011-12 Contest Preview: Watering the Roots of Maverick’s

mike — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:30:35 +0000

Thank you to Half Moon Bay Review for permission to reprint this article by our man In the Green Room.

Watering the Roots of Maverick’s
In the Green Room with Mike Wallace
Surf season has been in full swing on the coast as the Indian summer trades blows with Old Man winter in a losing battle in which surfers are the opportunistic beneficiaries. Onshore wind flows begin to clock around from the south in advance of storm fronts, and then switch to the northwest in their wake. Finally they swing to the northeast or, more rarely, due east – in piercing blue offshore perfection that mends tortured lumps of water into shapely waves, the shroud of summer fog lifts and reveals the coastside in all her glory.
This familiar seasonal change is met with great anticipation by surfers around these parts, but the vibe seems just a little more electric this year. Hollywood has made itself at home this fall as a battalion of moving vans sets up camp at various locations along the coast for “Of Men and Mavericks,” the movie paying homage to Maverick’s surf legend Jay Moriarity. Producer and star Gerard Butler got a firsthand welcome to the break with a legit 2-wave hold-down and flush through the rocks. The World Surfing Tour also decided to pay a visit, stopping over “Somewhere in San Francisco” en route from Portugal to Hawaii, spending just enough time to crown Ke11y Slater with his 11th championship…twice.
Yet with all the celebrities under foot the past couple months, the real star has yet to show up after skipping town last year – the Maverick’s Invitational 2011/12. While “The Jay at Mavericks” never ran, Jay’s outgoing spirit will still be in ample evidence, as a new local grass roots organization takes shape with the community and surfers as the driving force behind the event. A five-member board has been put in place for the contest composed of a group of surfers, local businessmen and leaders to ensure that the event stays true to its new manifesto. Reappointed as Contest Director, Jeff Clark aims to “get back to a great event showcasing the world’s best big wave surfers.”
Slater is negotiating with his sponsors to again challenge the infamous break. Kelly took second place back in 2000 behind eventual three-time winner Darryl “Flea” Virostko when his sponsor Quiksilver was still lending its name to the event, narrowly pipping Jay Moriarity in an earlier heat that many thought the young Santa Cruz charger had won. The rest of the Invitee list of 24 surfers will likely remain essentially the same one that was decided by peer vote of the athletes themselves last year (see Bruce Jenkins’ revealing profiles). The caliber of international big wave athlete is such that there will be not one easy heat, though there was a fresh heat draw at the opening ceremonies on January 6 a week into the revised January 1- March 31 contest window. Even the alternates list reads like a veritable “Who’s Who” of hell men. Talk is that Flea will be on water patrol this year — replaced by Ben Wilkinson. Josh Loya is first alternate, with Tyler Fox and Colin Dwyer next in line.
Board member Brian Overfelt is the owner of Old Princeton Landing and a community activist, which informs his perspective on the contest’s mandate and structure. A 20-person panel reports to the board, delegated responsibilities ranging from rescue to beach marshals. The aim is to build a stable structure for years to come based on three central pillars: “community, athletes and environment.” Tight coordination with over 14 government agencies, ranging from the Sheriff to the NOAA, has gone exceptionally well, but may ultimately be assigned to an event planning company in the future.
As Brian puts it, “It is important to water the roots of the local business community, which is always at the front of my mind on any decision the board makes.” In terms of tourism, contest day is one of the biggest of the year for Half Moon Bay and it’s important that the stakeholders in the community benefit from the contest. He foresees a day when local pride in the event runs deep and everyone celebrates it, rather than ducking and running for cover when the show comes to town. Indeed, all will be welcome to a Maverick’s Festival during the contest, which will take place in the Oceano parking lot to help minimize environmental damage to the sensitive cliffs of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Details about tickets are available on: http://mavericksinvitational.com/
Access to the bluffs will be severely curtailed after previous incidents of rock slides and spectators being flushed into the harbor during the epic 2009/2010 event won by Chris Bertish. Land-based judges, photographers and journalists have in the past been granted access to the Air Force radar station at Pillar Point, but the new commander has been tightening security rather than offering access to witness the extraordinary natural events at the base of its cliffs. After recent productive meetings, however, the Air Force may relent on access and even provide “air support” for the event, allowing in some contest apparatus including judging, photography and officiating.
Jeff Clark has always been in sync with Maverick’s and a little Clark luck could well be in order when cherry picking a contest day, requiring full use of the tighter contest window. Mark Sponsler of Stormsurf forecasting doesn’t like the way the weather gods are conspiring this season, which has already slashed viable days for the Invitational. He accurately anticipated “high pressure taking firm control of the North Pacific amid remnants of what was a moderate-plus inactive La Nina weather pattern that he expects to hold well into the spring of 2012. That is not to say there will be no storms, in fact there could be short periods of intense activity when the ‘Active Phase’ gets an opportunity to come to fruition, but that will be the exception rather than the rule.”
Yet there is a refreshing sense of earnestness, renewal and hope about the new contest organization and Overfelt emphasizes that the board has gravitated toward volunteers with a genuine love for the sport of big wave surfing and the community. Indeed, pending a key long-term sponsorship deal or two, which are expected to be imminent, start-up funding is tight and the new group is leery of making big promises and coming up short. It will take a lot of hard work, coordination and a little luck to pull it off and, as usual, Mother Nature will not be rushed by any official time table.
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Mike Wallace has surfed for over two decades on the East and West Coasts, Hawaii, Europe and NorCal. Currently a resident of Moss Beach with his family of four, Mike has been spearheading an effort by The Surfrider Foundation to reopen Martin’s Beach to the public. He helps coach the HMB High and Cunha Intermediate School Surf Teams, and in his spare time is dedicated to surf journalism and surfboard design under his “Iconoclast” label.

Big Wave Surf Film “Super Natural” in San Francisco on Thursday, November 3, 2011

matt — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:10:30 +0000

Just in time for them pro surfers coming to town, we know there will be big waves seen at the Balboa Theater (3630 Balboa Street at 38th Avenue) in San Francisco.

Powerlines Productions, Big Wave Filmmakers since 1994, deliver their latest project, “Super Natural,” on November 3 in San Francisco. The documentary film takes you on a tour with some of the best big wave surfers in the world riding giant waves from powerful Pacific winter storm systems. Filmed during the epic El Niño and La Niña winter seasons the movie takes you on an insider’s journey to the fabled big wave breaks of Maui’s Pe’ahi (Jaws) and Northern California’s Maverick’s . World-class surfers and underground legends tell their stories as they go back to the roots of paddling into giant waves thought to be unfeasible years ago without the use of jet skis. Mixed with a hand picked soundtrack and edge-of-your-seat highlights, see what makes these athletes ‘Super Natural’ as they risk it all chasing waves and dreams for the ultimate thrill.
Featured Surfers: Shane Dorian, Chris Bertish, Danilo Couto, Yuri Soledade, Carlos Burle, Ion Banner, Travis Payne, Alex Martins, Tim West, Twiggy, Greg & Rusty Long, Shawn Dollar, Peter Mel, Skindog Collins, Ed Guzman, Pato Teixeira and Zach Wormhoudt.

Advance tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/204985

Maverick’s Contest Locals Trial Heat Held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011

matt — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:35:21 +0000

Banner Heat at Maverick’s
by Tim West

On Tues., Jan. 18, 18 surfers from Half Moon Bay made the paddle out to Maverick’s as a building northwest swell began to hit the reef under sunny skies and windy conditions. All of them were surfing for an opportunity to represent one of the two HMB local slots next to Ion Banner in the upcoming trials heat on contest day. Positive vibes and excited surfers filled the room at the pre-session meeting with Maverick’s just a birds-eye view away in the distance. The details were set and everyone was frothing to see what Mother Nature would deliver on the reef out at Pillar Point. The swell was already showing at the outer buoy, 14 feet at 19 seconds, so we knew it was on.

Locals Only Trial Crew

Leading up to this local session a lot of planning and conversation took place between contest organizers and HMB surfers. It was agreed to have a contest trials heat to give the local surfers an opportunity to get into next year’s contest being held at their home break, just as what occurs at Pipeline, Teahupoo, Sunset Beach, and Punta De Lobos. It brings the community together, inspiring and motivating everybody in town to cheer on one of our own and live the contest through them, just as we all did with the S.F. Giants when they took home a World Series title. It is this type of encouragement and local involvement that guys like Ion Banner, Curt Myers, Steve Iverson, and the HMB Surf Club are pushing for right now, which has been lacking in contests of the past.

Staking a claim

Tuesday morning at sunrise the swell was hitting hard with 20-second intervals under clean conditions. Big clouds of whitewater were rumbling like an airplane engine, with outer reefs exploding all throughout the bay. Most of the crew showed up at our lookout spot in El Granada with hot cups of coffee to balance out the cold weather. High fives with some words of encouragement went down, and then it was off to the lot at Junes Beach where the surfers suited up and paddled out for an 11:00AM start.

Ion Banner and Alan Baxter judged waves from the cliff, joined by numerous supporting locals. As the 18 surfers walked the path, cheers and heckles were exchanged, with smiles all around. From the water Andrew Kehl and Jesse Kinsella were judging waves with Brian Overfelt taking photos. Curt Myers, Troy Dooley, and myself helped with water safety to make sure everyone in the lineup was safe.

Wyatt

First wave of the session was Wyatt Fields, breaking the ice for the rest of the pack on a solid peak. At this point the tide began dropping really fast to a -1.0 from a 6.4. Staying in the peak took skill battling the current along with increasing northwest winds, which picked up to 25 mph that afternoon. Jarred Abbot was in tune getting a lot of waves early in the session and showing solid form and comfort in the bowl. For it being his third time out at Maverick’s, we were all impressed and stoked by his surfing. Jim Tjogas got some nice waves carving his way to the inside bowl with style, just as he does in any size surf. Ryan Chapman, a Montara native who flew in from Hawaii, caught one of the biggest waves of the day. Wipeout of the session went to Gabe Polom, who has been stepping it up every session with a true passion for big waves. Other surfers included Ian Shweikert, Dave Lovelace, Dom Spinardi, Skylar Banner, Matt Wilkinson, Greg Broderick, Darren Bingham, Jedd Rain, Ryan Morrissey, Forest O’donnell, and Eoin Bloomer.

Jim Tjogas

During the middle of the heat, after catching a couple of medium-sized waves, Mike Joshua dropped into an inside bowl, barely pulling it off and earning him honors for one of the heaviest drops of the sesh. Wave after wave was ridden by the HMB crew in a pack of Maverick’s regulars, including Ryan Seelbach, Shane Desmond, Ryan Augustine, Alex Martins, Frank Solomon, and Zach Wormhoudt. They were all stoked to be sitting amongst some of the hardest charging surfers out there.

The three standout surfers were Fields, Abbot, and Joshua during the three-hour session. Joshua had a last-minute late drop that scored high, Abbot was consistently catching good waves through the whole session, and Fields was

Wyatt's Field Day

dominating from start to finish. He caught four waves, each deep in the bowl with steep drops that stood out amongst the rest. At the end of the day, Joshua took 2^nd place, just edging out a 3^rd-place Abbot, with Wyatt Fields taking top honors. Fields will now join Ion Banner on contest day in the trials heat, consisting of the following surfers:

1. Ion Banner (HMB)
2. Wyatt Fields (HMB)
3. Travis Payne (Pacifica)
4. Shaun Rhodes (Pacifica)
5. top alternate #1
6. top alternate #2
7. top alternate #3
8. top alternate #4

The top two scores from this trials heat will be automatic entries into next year’s The Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational. Congratulations to Wyatt Fields and Ion Banner, both representing HMB in the upcoming trials event, as well as Travis Payne and Shaun Rhodes, our Nor Cal cousins.

Maverick’s Contest Site Closed to Spectators

matt — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 16:04:05 +0000

Half Moon Bay Surf Group, the organizers of the 2010-11 The Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational, will not allow public access to the Pillar Point beach and bluffs that front Maverick’s. There will be a variety of opportunities to watch the event live, including at local Princeton-by-the-Sea businesses that will air the event for free. The event will also be shown live in HD at www.thejayatmavericks.com.

More information in the San Jose Mercury News.

Why Jay? The Naming of a New Maverick’s Surf Contest

mike — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 02:27:25 +0000

Why Jay? The Naming of a New Maverick’s Surf Contest
In the Green Room with Mike Wallace

It has been a memorable year of extremes in the surfing world, including the untimely death of 3-time World Champ Andy Irons and the 10^th World title for Kelly Slater. Yet when Mother Nature makes the call, Maverick’s will once again surge front-and-center into the impact zone. On December 1 the window will open for “The Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational” and will remain open until February 28 (Ed: except for blackout period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day).

By a fortuitous accident of geography, the reefs off of Pillar Point have for eons funneled muscular long-period winter swells into cavernous bowls and towering walls off of Half Moon Bay, which has comparatively only recently rolled out its welcome mat for this new threshold of surf legend and lore. For one epic day this winter our cozy hamlet will be thrown into a frenzy of activity as the contest machinery whirs to life, spectators jostle, shutters click, jet skis hum and locals either rejoice or duck for cover. Why, then, name the contest after a cheery, blue-eyed kid from Santa Cruz with the disarming grin who drowned on June 15, 2001, free-diving in the Maldives?

Well, in a world full of compromises, traffic jams, deadlines, dead-end jobs, bills, taxes and any number of other banal distractions, Jay lived his brief life with the rare sort of purity, joy and focus that most people never achieve in a lifetime. Pacifican Matt Ambrose vividly remembers the wide-eyed grom who “blew past me straight to the bowl” and said it “looked fun” before swinging into a past-vertical freefall. A less precocious veteran would have had a gut check, knowing that he’s way too deep if closer to the peak than Ambrose.

But from the moment Jay launched into public consciousness at age 16 on December 19, 1994, on the cover of Surfer, crucified in the maw of a feathering lip of that very same wave, he surfed his life in the sweet spot, right in the curl, making Maverick’s his second home. At times Jay was so excited to greet a rising swell, he was known to sleep overnight on the cliffs to be the first to crack it at dawn. Surely that’s grounds for residency, or squatter’s rights in our town? How many people can honestly say that their path inspires that level of passion?

In his too-brief 22 years, Jay’s preparation and athleticism was only outclassed by his infectious personality, which deeply touched those who knew him, surfed with him and loved him. And one person who knew him well was his Maverick’s mentor and tow partner, Jeff Clark. The pioneering big wave gladiator and the young gun built a special relationship in the water, logging countless sessions seared in the memories of a small cadre of awed witnesses. Clark recalls, “Mike Gerhardt, one of Jay’s best friends, brought me a bunch of stickers recently that said: ‘Never Forget Jay!’ And I said, ‘Mike, what do I need those for? I’ll NEVER forget Jay.’”

On just one of those many special days, Clark threw Jay the tow rope on an improbably giant and clean swell on December 22, 2000, and told the few remaining stragglers in the channel: “The sun’s going down, it’s 25-foot and we’re going to show you the future.” With the harbor horn bleating its lonely call, an amber mist on the water and the size of the swell amplified by the 20-30 foot spinnakers of spray and dark silhouettes of the waves, Clark zipped out the back and whipped Jay into a bomb. It was one of the longest rides ever witnessed at Maverick’s and you could only follow its progress by watching the ski on the shoulder with Jay completely engulfed by the shadows. Kicking out 45 seconds later, past the rocks, Jay would have probably continued all the way into Surfer’s Beach and high-fived a few groms if the wave hadn’t prolapsed back into the maelstrom.

As noted local sports journalist Bruce Jenkins sums it all up, Jay set the tone for future generations: “There’s only one thing about the Maverick’s contest that reminds me of Jay, and that’s the contest day itself. It’s always a huge success – fog, wind, rising tide, whatever, to say nothing of perfect days – because of the spirit in the water. It all came to a head three years ago, when Greg Long split his winnings among the five other finalists, but the Maverick’s lineup always shines when the very best, most committed guys are in the water. All the egos, sponsorship deals and personal agendas are cast aside, and nobody epitomized that attitude more than Jay. If he got the biggest wave on a certain day, he only wanted to talk about Grant’s wave, or Ambrose’s, or how good one of the hot young kids looked out there. His soul was pure; nobody could recall ever seeing him out of character.”

Jay had the audacity to live to the fullest, push over the ledge and laugh at life’s precariousness. In this sense, surfing Maverick’s is better characterized as a dance of life, rather than cheating death. This is why those of us chained to desk jobs and the daily grind are drawn to witness the contest. To be transported for a fleeting few seconds when time is suspended and a relatively puny human stands up, dwarfed by the enormity of the universe, pulls in, and comes back out to do it again, rejoicing in his good fortune to be alive in such a place.

As Maverick’s veteran Grant Washburn puts it: “For me, Jay represents the personification of stoke. Enlightenment is usually described as living in the moment, and enjoying every minute… and people work hard to achieve that state, but I think Jay was born with it. He had this very special disposition, a way of treating everyone like an old friend. He also had a habit of giggling at everything, and it was contagious. As we grow up, most of us lose part of the magical feeling that comes from just having fun. Big wave surfing is a way for us to get back to the wonder of being a kid. When a big set hits the reef, everyone becomes a wide-eyed grom. We all tap into our inner Jay – that amped-up 15-year old who was drawn to Maverick’s. Jay is that rare individual who makes a lasting impression on everyone he meets. If one of my kids had been a boy, he would have been named Jay. We had girls, but my wife liked the name Jaden… so I asked if we could throw a ‘y’ in there. Now my younger daughter Jayden is almost 6.”

Unlike Eddie Aikau, the Waimea lifeguard who sacrificed his life at age 31 on March 17, 1978, to save his crew stranded aboard the outrigger canoe Hokule’a in the Molokai channel, Jay didn’t put his life on the line to save others. Aikau made over a thousand undocumented rescues, but of course couldn’t be bothered to do the paperwork. Aikau selflessly put others’ lives before his own and, in addition to being a true waterman, set the standard for Aloha and Hawaiian pride.

In contrast, it was by living for the moment that Jay provided his lasting gift. Rising above pettiness, avarice, selfishness and other human frailties, he led by example with joy, camaraderie and inclusiveness that all too often seems to get lost in the rip tides of negativism. To “Live Like Jay” is to embody goodness, friendship and stoke. As contest organizer Katherine Kelly Clark recalls, “Jay was an angel come to earth. He used to come into my café and just light it up. I loved him like a son or a kid brother – nothing can replace him. Jay belonged to the world, crossed all barriers and rose above it all.”

What did these two legendary watermen share in common? Neither of our humble heroes sought the limelight; it came and found them. Both innately knew the secrets to living a simple life fully and sharing their gifts for doing so. Both, by their shining example, compel us to reflect on our own better nature. And, both were taken from us too soon.

Mike Wallace has surfed for over two decades on the East and West coasts, Hawaii, Europe and NorCal. Currently a resident of Moss Beach with his family of four, he can often be found haunting the beaches south of Devil’s Slide in search of the perfect sandbar with his blind dog, Moose.

(Article originally published (in modified format) by the Half Moon Bay Review and SurfPulse thanks them for the permission to post here.)

The Jay at Maverick’s Surf Contest Opening Ceremony and Heat Selection Held on Monday, November 29, 2010

matt — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 02:56:48 +0000

Under the guidance of the Half Moon Bay Surf Group, the new organization running the annual surf contest at Maverick’s, the opening ceremony was held on Mon., Nov. 29. The ceremony included an honoring of the late Jay Moriarity, for whom the contest is named, a paddle out to the channel and a ceremonial surf ring with most of the invitees. The heats were selected by surfers picking numbered golf balls out of a bucket.

Bruce Jenkins, noted surf writer and sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, has written a great line-up card with descriptions of the surfers in each heat.

The contest window for The Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational opens on Wed., 12/1/10 and runs through Mon., 2/28/11, with blackout dates from Christmas through New Year’s Day.

Here are the heat selections:

Heat 1
Shane Desmond, Santa Cruz
Kelly Slater, Florida
Grant Washburn, San Francisco
Anthony Tashnick, Santa Cruz
Mark Healey, Hawaii
Ryan Seelbach, San Francisco
Heat 2
Ken Collins, Santa Cruz
Jamie Sterling, Hawaii
Grant Baker, South Africa
Zach Wormhoudt, Santa Cruz
Greg Long, San Clemente
Dave Wassel, Hawaii
Heat 3
Chris Bertish, South Africa
Shane Dorian, Hawaii
Ryan Augenstein, Santa Cruz
Alex Martins, San Francisco
Nathan Fletcher, Hawaii
Tyler Smith, Santa Cruz
Heat 4
Carlos Burle, Brazil
Rusty Long, San Clemente
Peter Mel, Santa Cruz
Shawn Dollar, Santa Cruz
Darryl Virostko, Santa Cruz
Matt Ambrose, Pacifica

Alternates

1. Tyler Fox

2. Josh Loya

3. Colin Dwyer

4. Nic Lamb

5. Danilo Couto

6. Derek Dunfee

7. Ben Andrews

8. Andrew Marr

9. Travis Payne

10. Ion Banner

11. Kohl Christenson

12. Shawn Rhodes

13. Mike Gerhardt

14. Garrett McNamara

15. Russell Smith

16. Jamie Mitchell

17. Ben Wilkinson

Report on “Big Wave” Development Public Meeting in HMB on Wednesday, November 17, 2010

matt — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:23:24 +0000

A public meeting was held Wed., Nov. 17 by the San Mateo County Planning Commission in regards to the proposed 300,000-square-foot “Big Wave” development at Pillar Point where the big wave break Maverick’s is located. More than 250 citizens showed up at the meeting, either to support or to protest the development.

Read more about the meeting at the Peninsula Press.

Inaugural 2010-11 The Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational Lineup Announced

matt — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:00:16 +0000

The Half Moon Bay Surf Group Inc., the new organizers of a big wave surf contest at Maverick’s in HMB, have announced the invitational 24-surfer lineup (and alternates) for the 2010-11 contest, now called “The Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational.” The contest window is Dec., 1, 2010–Feb. 28, 2011.

More information may be found at the Half Moon Bay Review or from the official press release, but here is the lineup card, which includes 10-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, who has not competed at a Maverick’s contest since 2000 :

Chris Bertish, South Africa (2009 Champion)

Shane Desmond, Santa Cruz

Anthony Tashnick, Santa Cruz (2004 Champion)

Kenny “Skindog” Collins, Santa Cruz

Dave Wassel, Hawaii

Carlos Burle, Brazil

Grant “Twiggy” Baker, South Africa (2005 Champion)

Alex Martins, San Francisco

Peter Mel, Santa Cruz

Grant Washburn, San Francisco

Ryan Seelbach, San Francisco

Darryl “Flea” Virostko, Santa Cruz (1998, 1999 and 2003 Champion)

Greg Long, San Clemente (2007 Champion)

Panel selections

Zack Wormhoudt, Santa Cruz

Mark Healey, Hawaii

Shawn Dollar, Santa Cruz

Ryan Augenstein, Santa Cruz

Shane Dorian, Hawaii

Rusty Long, San Clemente

Tyler Smith, Santa Cruz

Nathan Fletcher, Hawaii

Matt Ambrose, Pacifica

Kelly Slater, Florida

Jamie Sterling, Hawaii

Top alternates

Josh Loya

Tyler Fox

Colin Dwyer

Nic Lamb

Danilo Couto

Derek Dunfee

Ben Andrews

Andrew Marr

Travis Payne

Ion Banner

Kohl Christensen

Shawn Rhodes

Garret McNamara

Ben Wilkenson

Jamie Mitchel

Russel Smith

Mike Gerhardt

Kelproots Surfer Group Ousts MSV for Permit to Stage 2010 Maverick’s Surf Contest

matt — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:04:22 +0000

A group of surfers, calling their organization the Half Moon Bay Surf Group Inc. (and to seek nonprofit incorporation), has ousted Mavericks Surf Ventures, Inc. (MSV), promoter of the event since 2004, for the single permit to stage a big wave surf contest at Maverick’s in Half Moon Bay. The new contest seems to be called the “Maverick’s Invitational” (for legal reasons, they can not at this time use the late Jay Moriarity’s name in the contest title despite their original intent to honor a favorite surfer at the break). However, we’ve seen a variety of possible names for the new contest, including “The Jay at the Maverick’s Big-Wave Invitational.” Reports are that MSV failed to properly pay vendors and competitors on time and has been unable to raise the money to properly stage this year’s contest and secure the prize money for the winner. In addition, there was concern over the lack of proper caution regarding spectators at last year’s contest which resulted in serious injuries to a number of spectators. Half Moon Bay Surf Group intends to restrict access to the beach and the bluff above the break to spectators, instead rerouting them into any number of Princeton-by-the-Sea establishments to watch the event live.

MSV CEO, Keir Beidling, has threatened to sue the new group for theft of trade secrets and intellectual property rights, claiming that his company has trademarked “Mavericks Surf Contest.” Unfortunately, since MSV never properly included the apostrophe in “Maverick’s,” this editor sees no issue with the new group using the same phrase, with the inclusion of the apostrophe, of course.

Multiple local news organizations have reported on this awarding of the permit to the new group. Here are links to the Santa Cruz Sentinel (which correctly uses an apostrophe in “Maverick’s”) and the Half Moon Bay Review (which does not use the apostrophe, tsk, tsk.) ;>)

Warm to the Core: The Story of Isurus Wetsuits and Tim West

mike — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:40:21 +0000

Warm to the Core: The Story of Isurus Wetsuits and Tim West
In the Green Room with Mike Wallace

Tim West slashes back

Montara wetsuit upstart Isurus has teamed up with coastside charger Tim West to develop an innovative new line of high-end, buoyant, light and flexible wetsuits targeting hardcore watermen and women who tend to spend as many as 200 days in the water per year. Named after the Latin genus for the sleek Mako shark and inspired by suits developed for hyper-competitive triathletes, Isurus has leapt right off the starting line in an audacious attempt to marry superior materials with a tighter tolerance fit and high quality manufacturing geared toward NorCal surfer-athletes.

Wetsuits have come a long way since 1951 when waterman and physicist Hugh Bradner invented the first wetsuit (see A Waterman’s Tale: The True Inventor of the Wetsuit). Driven by a bygone ethic of invention for the greater good, and sponsored by the Defense Department, Bradner didn’t patent the idea that a person donning such a rubber garment didn’t have to stay dry to stay warm. As Bradner put it, “I don’t give a damn who thought of it first, as long as I’m not going around making a false claim.” Bradner died on May 5, 2008, at the age of 92 without ever receiving full credit for his creation. But his legacy lives on in those with the character to innovate and charge just for the love of it.

John S. Foster in Bradner wet suit prototype, ca. 1953

Flash forward to the present: the wetsuit has evolved from a stiff, ill-fitting, leaky strait jacket into a refined garment with warmth and flexibility as its main function. In the pursuit of those sometimes competing attributes, many wetsuit manufacturers have sacrificed durability and quality in the process. By infusing more nitrogen bubbles in the neoprene that is sandwiched between layers of nylon or Lycra, such suits are prone to deterioration and saturation within a couple of months of hard use, despite industry claims and warranties. The more durable 5-mm suits retain their thermal properties longer, but tend to be more restrictive, and even 4-mm suits can add pounds in water retention, equivalent to dragging around a bottle of water or small dumbbell in the line-up.

Isurus Wetsuits (http://www.surfisurus.com/)

Any hardcore surfer on the North Coast will tell you that the older a wetsuit gets, the heavier it feels, the less it insulates, and the longer it takes to dry, reaching a terminal point of diminishing returns at some stage in its finite lifecycle. There is nothing more irritating than pulling on a damp, clammy wetsuit, only made tolerable by the knowledge that you’ll soon be getting wet again and chasing down some more “tasty waves.” In fact, most watermen use at least two wetsuits in rotation to avoid just that chilly scenario.

Isurus = form + function

Isurus Founder-Innovator Jim Brateris’ concept was to design wetsuits “for surfing by surfers.” After blowing through two to three wetsuits a year himself, Jim realized that wetsuit quality was being sacrificed with the corporatization of the wetsuit industry. In 2003 he figured there had to be a better way to bring the wetsuit back to its core values and re-engineer it for more discerning and demanding surfers. As Jim says, “We were looking for a different design concept, more suited to the muscular structure of the human body in order to get a better free range of motion,” like that illustrated in the archetypal illustration of ideal human proportions, “Vitruvian Man” by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Isurus, Fit for a Vitruvian Man!

Isurus took their inspiration from triathletes, who have long demanded better-fitting, lightweight, and more buoyant wetsuits from their suppliers—all of which add up to shortened swim times and quicker muscle recovery in later stages of the competition. Such a performance wetsuit provides a clear competitive advantage for triathletes and surfers alike. Like only a couple of other manufacturers, Isurus starts with the gold standard of Yamamoto “closed-cell” neoprene, fused between “hydrophobic linings.” This allows for a much thinner and 50% lighter wetsuit that retains significantly less water than conventional versions. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqivbsGI-4&feature=PlayList&p=250CC809413E3062&index=2)

Yamamoto rubber is the best.

As Brateris explains, “The main difference between the mass-produced and -marketed wetsuits is right here (fingering the wetsuit rubber); Yamamoto has a proprietary process in which they inject nitrogen to get the prime part of the rubber to have a closed-cell neoprene, and that’s all they use, the best part of the rubber. Unlike an open-cell kitchen sponge-like material used in many conventional suits, the stitching will hold much better in a closed-cell structure.”

In terms of materials, Isurus wetsuits also integrate “Aerodome” panels in the front, from the chest all the way down the thighs, and on the back. These are the rubberized air-cell panels adopted by a few manufacturers that not only increase floatation, but heat retention as well. The slick skin surface of Aerodome helps resist wind chill (most of any suit) and actually adds to board traction, as well, when paddling prone. Rounding out the ensemble is a feature adopted from tri-athlete versions, called a “Forward Propulsion System” (FPS). FPS is basically textured rubberized strips on the inside of the forearms that add water traction and adherence with each stroke and, in theory, greater power.

Details, details

The high-end materials choice will only get you so far, and Isurus has taken it a step further, pairing the best in Japanese neoprene with the highest-quality Chinese (ISO 9002-certified) manufacturer. The suits are designed with the panels specifically anatomically structured to mirror body contours, rather than resist them, by taking 20 points of measure compared to the standard 15 points. Isurus suits can generally be worn about one mm thinner year round than comparable suits. That results in a wetsuit that fits much more snugly than conventional suits, ideal for heat retention, blood flow, and dynamic functionality in the water —much more like a custom suit.

Starting a local wetsuit company from scratch with the ambition of taking it to “a higher level” and creating a superior product for the demanding Northern Californian marketplace is a daunting task. But Isurus has found something that has been nearly lost – quality. By using the best materials available, they have dramatically cut the weight without sacrificing warmth and flexibility.

A demanding customer base: Maverick's Contest Opening Ceremony

The I-Elite 343 version is the lightest and highest performance model in the stable and comes with a removable hood. The I-Evade 434 model feels like wearing thermal underwear and sheds wind and water with ease. It has an integral 2-mm front-zip pull-over hood with a buttery yellow lining that just steams when pulled up and is designed to not be restrictive when rolled down, which is nearly anytime the sun comes out (when was the last time you were almost too warm in your 4-3?). The hydrophobic jersey material sandwiched around the closed-cell neoprene also dries extremely fast and retains 80% less water, making double-sesh a breeze.

Maverick’s journeyman Grant Washburn has taken the suit out to his favorite haunts and reported back that he’s used a number of different wetsuit brands and this one “feels totally different and is built really well.” Grant has even taken out the thinnest 3 mil I-Elite version of the suit to Maverick’s without a hood and been quite comfortable. Not only does the cut of the suit aid in paddle recovery, but the improved warmth is the key, as “the biggest enemy out there is the cold, which more than any other single factor burns calories and increases fatigue.”

Grant Washburn

In addition to the superior thermal properties and fit of the suit, Washburn was particularly pleased with the thin, warm hood. “Back in November of 2008 I was nominated for the XXL Wipeout of the Year for a wave at Mav’s that I didn’t make. My wipeout didn’t win, but I did tweak my neck on that fall and it has been sensitive ever since. The ‘slippery stuff’ (slick skin) on the hood helps penetrate the water during spills and the turbulence just doesn’t get the same grip on your head. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this became the new standard for hoods out at Maverick’s.”

Grant also chuckles that friend and former champion Grant “Twiggy” Baker hauls around a battery-powered blower hanger to dry his wetsuits, which is not needed for the quick-drying Isurus. The whole package works: the lighter weight, the warmth, the flexibility and fit. He even feels “something going on” with the Forward Propulsion System (FPS) on the forearms, aiding in paddle power over numerous strokes, just as with competitive swimmers.

Washburn has known Tim West and his family since he was a little kid and was really stoked when he found out about Tim’s ambition to surf Maverick’s, since there were few locals doing so. Though crowds of elite international surfers mob the line-up now compared to the early days, Grant says he tries to keep it fun and light out there, sharing waves especially on the busiest days. He sees Tim as also keen to have a good time at the break, having a certain “Jay vibe” (Jay Moriarity) about him that transcends the “us vs. them localism” that can infect any spot.

Like most other wetsuits, the Isurus suits occasionally flush through the yoke on the shoulder when you take an awkward fall, but as Grant notes this is almost a relief after you’ve been steaming along and the suit warms up fast. They are also a little more challenging to remove than enter due to that near-custom fit, which feels like a vacuum seal on your body once wet. But this is a “small and acceptable price to pay for the performance advantages, and you quickly figure it out,” says Washburn.

Grant Washburn, cruising on coldest day in 40 years at Ocean Beach, San Francisco

The high-quality Yamamoto rubber is also initially stiffer, but soon begins to mold to your body after a session or two. Isurus is so focused on quality materials and fit that any initial minor issues have already been ironed out in subsequent versions about to be released. Getting the right size with such a tight-tolerance suit is also key, and Isurus offers a wider range of sizes for this reason.

Test Pilot Tim West

Tim West rides a bomb

Tim West grew up in Montara and has been a fixture in serious surf along the San Mateo coast for much of his young career. His stocky build and tenacious attitude have kept the goofy footer firmly planted to his board in frequently heaving and hollow beach break conditions that few others would dare to attempt. More recently he has taken that finely- tuned act to Maverick’s after “doing his homework” on big waves. Montara neighbor and renowned sports/surf writer Bruce Jenkins noted in his recent 3 Dot Blog that “the best of the up-and-coming generation from the Half Moon Bay coastside, West is confident, level-headed and a regular whenever Maverick’s is going off.” His commitment to the spot in all conditions and hard-charging backside attack earned him underground recognition and a slot in the Maverick’s contest as one of only two local invitees. The other is his tow partner Ion Banner. Here is some Powerlines footage of their breakthrough tow session on a mean west swell on December 4, 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imArpSkBPDE

West out the back

For Tim, “Maverick’s is just something I’ve always since day one been dreaming of– just paddling out there, let alone being in the contest” following years of diligent preparation at other spots. He remembers as a grom working his way up into double-overhead conditions at Ross’s: “Then it was like closed-out Cove, yah. Then it was just CRAZY closed out Cove. Then I’d go out by myself on my Mav’s gun just to practice, and then I’d go out to Scott’s Creek and practice there too. And finally I got geared up and went to Mav’s. I didn’t have anybody to go out with; nobody wanted to go out with me in my generation. I just did it all on my own. I didn’t have that push…”

In turn, Tim has been an incredible role model for younger surfers in the area, especially members of the Half Moon Bay Middle School Surf Team, who he has encouraged and mentored along with Wyatt Fields and others. In his formative years he vividly recalls examples of good and bad eggs in the line-up, and says he drew motivation and determination to succeed from both.

Tim mentors Half Moon Bay grom

Among his most influential surf mentors he credits Ion Banner and Curt Meyers, while Jay Moriarity of Santa Cruz also embodied the positive spirit that he embraces. His dad, Tim Senior, got him started surfing and still keeps him on track in their day jobs as fire sprinkler fitters, setting the bar high as Tim’s number one role model. As a result, nothing could give him more pride that seeing the “local line-ups loaded with local kid-rippers.” The ocean has been his teacher too, of course, keeping him “grounded and clean” and having a huge impact on his performance, attitude, and life.

Tim, Sr. and Tim, Jr.

It’s clear that he sees a lot of himself in the local kids searching for their places in the line-up. He can regularly be found stopping by Sunday team practices, generously handing out surf stickers and advice—checking in on “Tim’s groms,” as his proud mother calls them. Tim went to some lengths to formally invite the entire team to the 2009 Maverick’s opening ceremonies back in October to give the kids “a chance to see how the contest works, meet the competitors, and expand [their] horizons.” The event included the paddle out, heat selections, and dinner, which was a thumping success thanks to the consummate hosting skills of Katherine Clark.

Brateris of Isurus was in touch with Tim West as far back as 2003-4 and broached the idea of a locally-grown wetsuit of superior design. Tim was in on the ground floor and contributed ideas for key features at an early stage for a near-custom suit that was ideal for harsh local conditions in the region. As Brateris recalls, after trading ideas and drawings with Tim before heading off to China, “Tim put on an old wetsuit and he stood there as I traced the new lines with a magic marker on his body to get the design just right and have an accurate prototype to send out.”

Tim grabs rail at Todos

Of the symbiotic relationship, West was stoked to help out a friend and “water the roots locally,” while Brateris felt there really couldn’t be a better test pilot. Tim has tested out the suit this season at Maverick’s and has noted no problems despite numerous beatings. Much like Tim’s polished surfing, “the suit speaks for itself.” Tim is in it to test himself and have fun in big waves, not for photo ops.

He once paddled out with friend Chris Loeswick, only to be vaulted several feet in the air by a ballistic attack from below by a Great White shark. Several TV networks including the Today Show, Good Morning America, and National Geographic were all clamoring for an interview, but Tim refused them all because he wanted to be known for his surfing, not some freak attack. As Tim recalls:

“The only insight I want anyone to get out of that incident is to live each and every day to the fullest. When the shark hit it was unexpected and out of the ordinary. My attention was focused on an epic sunset with one guy out at small Maverick’s and I wanted to get one more good one. Then BOOM. I know anyone can relate-driving a car, walking in a lightning storm, etc. How about the guy who took a meteorite through his chest! One second everything may be perfect and content in your life, and at a moment without notice your one life on this earth can be taken. I’m lucky. I’m lucky to be alive. I’m lucky to walk, shake hands, talk. I’m lucky to be able to surf still at the same place I almost had my life taken. I’m lucky to hug my family and sit down with them at holiday dinner. I’m lucky to experience the next phase of my life, and one day to experience bringing another life into this world. Don’t take it for granted. It is inevitable that one day each of us will wake up and that day will be our last. I’m so thankful that Nov 2, 2005 wasn’t that day for me. So when you see me gone for months at a time in the tropics or off to ‘spot x’ for the weekend, its cuz I know life is short, especially our youth. Live in the now.”

Tim moonlights as a barrel miner in Puerto Escondido

As the first Isurus team rider, West is among a vanguard of five participants in the Maverick’s contest using the suit, with others impressed enough to be willing to plunk down cash for a superior wetsuit in the most challenging proving ground on the planet. Tim has taken to the road as well to hone his skills in the hollow waves of the Southern Hemisphere at Puerto Escondido and Todos Santos in Mexico—prep work for big winter surf at home. He published some insightful “Puerto Journal” entries on his adventures south of the border on the Maverick’s contest website, giving a unique glimpse into the big wave fraternity: http://maverickssurf.com/buzz/press/2009/aug/TimPuerto.php

Here’s an excerpt from his final journal entry on August 26, 2009:

“This was my first trip to the area and definitely not my last. It’s a true test of a waterman to surf this beach, because it is like no other beach break in the world. The local crew has the place wired and gets much respect, not only for surfing well, but for their kindness and good vibes. My two month trip had more of everything than I ever expected—waves, friends, food, culture, landscape and juice smoothies, ha. Thank God for the smoothie bar; couldn’t have pulled it off without that place.

Tim tows into a keg

Thursday was the day pulse #3 showed up. Around lunch time you could hear it from wherever you were on the beach. Thunder-like sets rolling through with a little bit of cloud cover, which meant a possibility of clean evening conditions. During the next 6 hours the swell jumped up dramatically- nobody out. Sure enough the winds shifted offshore as 40 foot waves marched in like a brigade of soldiers, back-to-back-to-back with 10 to 20 wave sets. So I’m sitting on the roof, watching this macking swell flood into town with the most unforgiving close out sets I’ve ever seen, and all of a sudden out of the corner of my vision I see Greg Long running down the street with his Puerto gun ready as ever to tackle one. He, Jaime Sterling, Rusty Long, and Will Dillon were on it. It looked scary, not fun, so I opted out. Big props to those guys for getting out there that evening.

Sunset at Todos

On Saturday, the next day after the big swell (that peaked and A-framed at 40 foot top-to-bottom, no joke) it was still 15-20 foot. So I launched the ski and all morning towed in a few friends that I had met during my stay with a few waves for each and most of them for the first time on a tow board. They all said they got the biggest tubes of their lives and I was more than happy to provide the assist. In fact, it’s just as fun towing people into big waves as surfing them sometimes, especially when you witness how stoked they are at the end of their ride. After towing them for a couple of hours I packed my rig, attached the ski, and B-lined it straight back to Half Moon Bay with an adrenaline rush that still hasn’t gotten out of my system. Livin’ it to the fullest!” –Tim West.

Tim drops in at Todos

It was in Puerto that Tim met and traded waves with Mexican charger Coco Nogales, another well-traveled surfer whose pursuit of bone-crushing waves occasionally finds him outside of his tropical element. Tim put Coco on to the Isurus program and his positive feedback from Northern sessions in Todos Santos and Maverick’s has been invaluable. As Jim Brateris said, “our challenge was to keep him toasty and flexible in Todos and Mav’s this winter.”

Tim doesn’t take big wave surfing lightly and has been methodical in his approach to excelling at Maverick’s. Like others, West cites “Powerlines” videos by Curt Meyers and Eric Nelson (http://www.mavfilm.com/) as providing a library of essential study materials chronicling the break. He has examined the videos backwards and forwards as part of his preparations, and credits them with helping him understand the wave. He has also listened very carefully to interviews of surf legends for any hints or tips on how to handle different risky situations, testing and adding their techniques to his own survival program.

When in the impact zone, one technique is to slip off his board and point it toward the beach, take a couple pencil dives down. Then he will adopt a specific fetal position when closed out in the impact zone, tucking his head and limbs into a cannonball ahead of detonation. Then there are no surprises when it happens and only relief if he pops up sooner. “You always want to go into a comfort zone, because in big waves if your arms are flapp’n around, and you go limp, it’ll rip your arm off. It’ll tear your sockets up for sure.”

West cuts back at Nelscott Reef

It is his mental preparation as well that keeps him calm and alive. On any wipeout he is ready to have his wind knocked out and assumes he will be facing a two-wave hold-down. “Every time I go down I automatically assess in my head that I will have a two-wave hold-down, because if you don’t and you expect that air, your mind is just going to be bummed and you’re going to panic. Even if you broke your arm, even if you’re gashed wide open, it’s survival mode and it’s the instinct that we all have, but most just don’t know it.”

As Tim says, “The suit makes me feel that much more ‘on it’ when I’m in heavy surf. It’s comfortable; it keeps me warm when the air/water temp is really cold; the propulsion system on my forearms improves paddle power. All these factors give me more confidence being out there, knowing I have the best wetsuit pretty much ever made for surfing.”

Maverick’s Contest, 02/13/2010

West paddles out for Heat 3 during Heat 2

West had ample opportunity to put his survival training to the test during Heat 3 of the Maverick’s contest on February 13. His first drop was a long, steep one, nearly making the corner before being devoured and taken down deep. He remarked, “I nearly split my wig open,” and when he came up managed to “get one big gulp of air and one pencil dive before the next hold-down.” Taken through the rinse cycle three times before Garrett McNamara swooped in on a PWC, Tim was so drained and confused that he couldn’t hang on for more than 20-30 feet splayed across the sled sideways before getting flushed again.

West courting the wave on Valentine's weekend

Amazingly, his leash didn’t break and his board was still attached, providing a life line to the surface each time. Finally, Santa Cruz’s Vince Broglio found Tim “gone-fried,” grabbed him, and pulled him through the rocks into the lagoon before swinging back around and taking him back out into the line-up for his second wave. And that one was even less friendly, flipping him on his back and skipping him down the face like a wayward sled at a snow park. Tow partner Banner described Tim’s spill as “one of his worst ‘ragdollifications’ ever.”

Tough date

Warmth and flexibility breeds the confidence to thrive, not just survive, in the unforgiving littoral zone of NorCal. Unlike body armor (and apparently surfers like Tim, who have survived both shark attacks and semi-consciousness) a wetsuit is not indestructible. But made without compromise in terms of materials and fit, it does have the ability to boost your game. Like a new custom board, that thin layer of neoprene, once you get a feel for it, may become the single most important piece of equipment you’ll own.

More photos of Tim West at Maverick’s Contest, 2010:

Heat 3 wave, shot 1

Heat 3 wave, shot 2

Heat 3 wave, shot 3

Heat 3 wave, shot 4

Afterburner time

Mike Wallace has surfed for over two decades on the East and West coasts, Hawaii, Europe, and NorCal. Currently a resident of Moss Beach with his family of four, he can often be found haunting the beaches south of Devil’s Slide in search of the perfect sandbar with his blind dog, Moose.