2013 Mavericks Invitational surf contest to be held Sunday 1/20, 8am PT

[UMBS Go Blue]

Mavericks, an invitation-only event that's the greatest surfing competition in the world, will be held this Sunday beginning at 8am PT near Half Moon Bay.

A live webcast will be available on the official website. Lots of folks jam the shoreline trying to see the event, but in 2010, one particularly large wave crashed on to shore and injured a number of spectators. For Bay Area folks wanting to experience the atmosphere in person, a viewing festival will be set up at Pillar Point Harbor.

From Wikipedia:

Maverick's or Mavericks is a surfing location in Northern California, USA. It is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from shore in Pillar Point Harbor just north of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (8m) and top out at over 80 feet (24.4 m). The break is caused by an unusually shaped underwater rock formation.

Mavericks is a winter destination for some of the world's best big wave surfers. Very few riders become big wave surfers; and of those, only a select few are willing to risk the hazardous conditions at Maverick's. An invitation-only contest is held there every winter, depending on wave conditions.

The event is called upon short notice, during a window lasting from November to March, depending on surf forecasts. It was not held the last 2 years because weather patterns didn't allow for enough quality surf. From the San Francisco Chronicle:

"This swell is coming from a very strong storm located midway between Japan and the international dateline, with hurricane-force winds," Sponsler said in an e-mail. "This is the strongest storm in the North Pacific in three years. It's looking like the best opportunity we've had in quite a while for running the contest."

Crucial factors

Surf is only part of the equation, and the other crucial factors appear to be magnificently in place for Sunday: sunny weather, mild and favorable winds out of the east and, primarily, the low-tide conditions that are ideal for Mavericks.

"With such a beautiful day at hand, the contest could be unbelievably good," Washburn said. "The storm is still a long way from us, and that's the only thing that has people concerned: How much of that energy will dissipate before it arrives here? It's shaping up to have 17- to 20-second intervals (between waves in a set), and that always makes for powerful surf. Ideally, we'll have solid, 20-foot sets (as measured in the open ocean, translating to 40-foot faces).

Here's a cool 10-minute excerpt from a documentary about surfing at Mavericks. Here's also this year's event trailer.

Enjoy!

 

[UMBS Go Blue]

The Call has been made! The 2013-2014 edition of Mavericks has been announced for this Friday.

With a massive swell forecast for upwards of 40 feet, the world’s best big-wave surfers will be putting on a death-defying show for the live stream and those in attendance this Friday, January 24th at 8 am Pacific time.

http://mavericksinvitational.com/
http://www.sfstation.com/2014/01/22/mavericks-surf-contest-announced-for-friday/
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/sports&id=9402696
http://www.sfgate.com/sports/jenkin...-wave-surf-contest-set-for-Friday-5164309.php
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Mavericks-Surf-Contest-Gets-Green-Light-241534971.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_24969298/mavericks-surf-contest-friday

 

[UMBS Go Blue]

The event will be broadcast live on Universal Sports, 8am PT this Friday.

http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_24960327/mavericks-surf-contest-tv-friday

HALF MOON BAY -- Organizers of the Mavericks big-wave surfing contest announced a new cable television partnership Tuesday as they monitored a swell in the Pacific Ocean that could produce competition-worthy waves on Friday.

In the latest sign of its growing mainstream appeal, the contest, now dubbed the Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented by GoPro, will be broadcast live on Universal Sports Network, which typically offers year-round coverage of Olympic sports.

 

[rfisher]

I LOVE watching surfing and the Maverick is one of the best events in the world. Are you going to try and go? Thanks for the web cam link!

 

[UMBS Go Blue]

Can't go; several years ago a rogue wave took out dozens of onlookers on the shore, so they've since relegated the crowds to a remote viewing area. Far better to watch it from home or work, safe from the huge waves.

I have been to the area during deceivingly calm periods and it's a gorgeous stretch of land. The Half Moon Bay area has a lot of touristy, but still fairly nice, oceanfront bars and venues.

 

[rfisher]

I'd still go and risk it. Big wave surfing is so exciting. Of course, US will probably have a camera on a helicopter and/or jet ski so you get closer shots of barrel. It's difficult to see everything from shore. I'm so excited they will show it live. It'll start here at 11:00 so I'm coming home early from work to watch.

 

[UMBS Go Blue]

Watch online and on Universal Sports, 8am PT Friday Jan 23:
http://www.mavericksinvitational.com/

More articles:
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/half-moon-bay-area-prepares-for-fridays-surf/vCPByZ/
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_24969298/mavericks-surf-contest-friday
http://www.sfgate.com/sports/jenkins/article/All-conditions-go-for-Mavericks-on-Friday-5166575.php

 

[UMBS Go Blue]

The 2016 Mavericks surf contest was called for today and is now in progress. Watch live here:
http://www.redbull.tv/videos/event-stream-596/half-moon-bay-california-usa

More background:
http://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/j...Out-in-the-water-all-is-forgotten-6824904.php
http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_29506521/big-wave-surfing-meet-working-stiffs-mavericks