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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.

No PWC Assists at Rip Curl Contest in San Francisco in November, 2011

matt — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:17:44 +0000

According to a letter released by the GGNRA, organizers of the Rip Curl Pro Search surf contest that will be held at Ocean Beach in November will not be allowed to tow contestants out to the lineup by personal watercraft (PWC). Lifeguards will have PWC on the beach for rescue purposes, and it will be at the lifeguards’ discretion whether to launch their PWC.

More information, including the letter from the GGNRA, at the Ocean Beach Bulletin.

Photo: Vicki & Chuck Rogers (via flickr)

12th Annual Kahuna Kupuna Contest in Pacifica on Saturday, August 6, 2011

matt — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:52:28 +0000

12TH ANNUAL KAHUNA KUPUNA SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 6.

This contest remains the only amateur surf contest that has a special focus on surfers age 40 and over. A true “Only-In-the-Bay-Area” type of event. Many thanks to those of you have participated in one way or another in past events. It sure is a lot of fun each year, so let’s do it again. Please forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested in participating in the contest. Here’s a brief synopsis of the latest Kahuna Kupuna news.

BACK TO THE FIREHOUSE FOR POST CONTEST FESTIVITIES

Our post contest festivities will take place at the Pedro Point Firehouse, which is right down the street from the boat docks area of Pedro Point/Linda Mar Beach. Please join us after the contest at 5:30 PM for a post-contest reception with live music, a full buffet dinner featuring delicious organic Mexican food from our local Green Enchilada ristorante and another lollapalooza of an award ceremony. Each contestant’s entry will cover admission for the post contest festivities. A sliding scale suggested donation of between $10 to $20 is requested from additional guests who want to join us at the Firehouse. Will call tickets for your guests are available in advance or during the day of the contest.

INTERGENERATIONAL TEAMS

The Intergenerational Team division is back again this year. We’ll have room for 6 teams of 6 surfers per team. Each team must represent three generations. Complete information on how to form a team (including a mathematical formula to determine if you have 3 generations represented) can be found on our website at www.kahunakupunasurf.org. Contestants in the Kupuna divisions – you know, those of you age 40 and over – are encouraged to take the lead on forming teams.

SURFRIDER CONTEST FOLLOWING DAY FOR SURFERS UNDER AGE 40

For the first time ever, we’re partnering with the San Mateo County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation to offer a surf contest for surfers under 40 on the DAY AFTER the Kahuna Kupuna, which would be Sunday, August 7, 2011. For more information about that contest, please go to http://ww2.surfrider.org/smc/ or http://www.facebook.com/surfriderSMC. Many thanks go to Dylan Christianson and the local SR Foundation chapter for working this out with me. I’m stoked that all surfers of ANY AGE will be able to be in a surf contest during this summer weekend.

ORGANIC HANDMADE TROPHIES ARE BACK AGAIN

Trophies this year will once again be made out of a secret organic material. And, no, it’s not driftwood. It’s something else that we see every time we go to the beach. Once again, the artist extraordinaire I will be collaborating with to come up with the trophy desing will be Candace McDonald. Check out her website at www.beachstring.com.

Entries: Many thanks to those of you who have already entered. We currently stand at 40 entries and it’s climbing every day. If you want to be included on the heat schedule by Thursday evening, please get your entry to me before Thursday at 5 pm, August 4th. Otherwise, you’ll have to do a beach entry beginning at 7:30 am on the day of the contest. Space will be limited in some divisions. We still have plenty of room in the SUP and Intergenerational Team divisions.
- Heat Schedule: We’ll put out the heat schedule this coming Thursday evening, August 4th on the surf contest’s website at www.kahunakupunasurf.org

Kahuna Kupuna Volunteer Opportunities: As the big day approaches, we’re going to need help with the following tasks . . .

1. Scaffold Set Up, Friday, August 5th: All volunteers are asked to meet at the Log Shop at 4 pm. If you’re running late, just call me at 650-438-6378 and I’ll let you know where you can rendezvous with us. Once we assemble, we’re all caravan back to April Schneider’s ranch in the back of Linda Mar valley where the scaffolding is stored.

2. Pick up food for post-contest party on Saturday, August 6th at 5:00 pm at the Green Enchilada mexican restaurant in the Pacific Manor Shopping Center and bring to the Pedro Point Firehouse.

3. Assist with transporting 100 fragile trophies made out of cobble stones to the Firehouse on Friday and/or Saturday.

4. Assist with set up of Firehouse for post-contest party on Saturday, August 6th beginning at 3 pm. Meet at Firehouse, naturally.

5. Assist with set up of contest area on Saturday, August 6th beginning at 6 am.

6. Assist with take down of contest area on Saturday, August 6th at 4:30 pm.

7. Assist with judging on Saturday, August 6th for an hour or two sometime between 8 am and 5 pm.

If you’d be willing to take on any of these volunteer jobs, please let me know by sending me an email or calling me at 650-438-6378.

The biggest help we need is for some of you to send in your entry form if you plan to surf in the contest. In addition, we want the rest of you to come join us on Saturday and enjoy a day on the beach.

Stay stoked,

Roy Earnest.

International Surfing Day Events on Monday, June 20, 2011

matt — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:43:46 +0000

International Surfing Day is on Monday, June 20!

Here are some local events:

ISD Team Challenge Surfing Contest sponsored by Surfrider San Mateo County
Mobile location: Linda Mar or Montara or Dunes
6 TEAMS 4 SURFERS 1 HOUR… 0 ENTRY FEE

To celebrate International Surfing Day (ISD), the Surfrider Foundation in San Mateo County will be hosting a team surfing competition.

HOW IT WORKS
At the start of the 1 hour heat, each of the six teams send out one competitor. Once a competitor catches a wave they must come in and switch out with the next member of his team. This process continues throughout the duration of the heat. There is no time limit per competitor and they may wait as long as they like for the right wave.

SCORING
Your team score is the combination of each team member’s top scoring wave during the heat.

WHO CAN BE ON MY TEAM
All ages, genders and skill levels are welcome on each 4 person team.

To enter or to get more information, including volunteer opportunites, use this online entry form.

_________________________________

International Surfing Day at Baker Beach in San Francisco, sponsored by Surfrider San Francisco Chapter:

Come join us for INTERNATIONAL SURFING DAY at Baker Beach! We have a whole host of things lined up for the day. We’ll have a beach clean-up from 4-6pm followed by a BBQ with free food and drinks! Come out and help us celebrate surfing — stick around for the BBQ and participate in a raffle to win some great prizes like: Exclusive Limited Edition ISD T-shirts, surf brand Trucker Hats, Surfing DVD’s, Music CD from Donavon Frankenreiter & of course SF Surfrider chapter items!

ISD’s presenting sponsor – Barefoot Wines – will also be making a movie from various ISD events that you can be a part of, so bring your camera, and upload your footage afterward: check it out here.

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

Rise Above Plastics Surf Contest #1 at Linda Mar on Sunday, November 21, 2010

matt — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 17:41:33 +0000

The first event in our three contest “Rise Above Plastics” Surf Contest Series is coming up on Sunday, November 21 at Linda Mar in Pacifica. All proceeds raised from the contest will go to our Rise Above Plastics program which seeks to reduce the impact of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

EVENT DETAILS
DATE: Sunday, November 21, 2010
LOCATION: Linda Mar, Pacifica
TIME: 7:00AM – 6:00PM

The contests are open to amateur surfers of any age and are one of the very few events in the area to feature short board divisions (Mens, Juniors and Womens) in addition to a Longboard division.

Contest Details (click here for more info and the online entry form):

DIVISIONS (Age as of 1/1/2011)

Mens (all ages)
Juniors (15 & under)
Womens (all ages)
Longboard (all ages)
Bodyboard (all ages)

CONTEST FORMAT
The contest will be run similar to an ASP World Tour event. There will be no eliminations in Round 1. Heat winners in Round 1 will advance directly to Round 3 and all other competitors will get a second chance to compete in Round 2. Every competitor will get to surf at least two heats.

ENTRANCE INFO
The entry fee is $60.00 per division. Due to the unique double elimination contest format, space will be extremely limited.Each competitor will receive a contest series t-shirt and additional promotional items from our sponsors.

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.) ;>)

SurfPulse Coverage of 2009-10 Maverick’s Contest on Saturday, February 13, 2010

matt — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:55:36 +0000

Follow the Mav’s contest LIVE by following SurfPulse on Twitter! You will also be able to see the tweets on our website. The SurfPulse Team will be providing live tweeting of the event from two (three, if a miracle) different locations:

Two if by land . . .
Mike will be on land in Half Moon Bay, providing most of the play-by-play of the contest and the awards ceremony. His tweets will start with “HMB”.
Matt will be at AT&T Park, covering the big screen crowd, the beer, and the bratwurst. His tweets will start with “ATT”.

One (big) if by sea . . .
Eric, our photographer, will hopefully finagle his way onto a boat at sea, chronicling the scene up close from the channel (tweeting some color in spare moments and while avoiding the vomit brigade). His tweets will start with “boat”. Either that, or “cliff” ;>)

Despite the legal, business, and personal issues associated with the event, or any middle fingers to surf contests in general, there’s no denying the spectacle and intensity of the event–especially in the conditions expected. Take all the b.s. away and we’re still watching 24 of the best big wave surfers on the planet on arguably the heaviest big wave on the planet with some of the heaviest conditions on day of contest. We wish each of the 24 good luck!

The first heat starts at 8:00 AM. After the first four heats, the semi-finals (2 heats) start at 11:30 AM. The final heat starts at 1:30 PM. Awards ceremony at 3:00 PM.

More contest info at www.maverickssurf.com