Mavericks takes off Friday: Big wave surf contest confirmed in Half Moon Bay
It’s official — El Niño has provided and the Titans will descend.
Organizers and forecasters with the renowned Mavericks big wave surf competition confirmed monstrous swells worthy of the world’s best are slated to rock the shores of Half Moon Bay this Friday.
Clear skies and barreling 36- to 40-foot waves will bring Cartel Management’s first time hosting the locally beloved and internationally watched event since the Los Angeles-based company took over in late 2014. Last season’s lackluster swells left spectators wanting as the competition that can be held between Nov. 1 and March 31 was never called.
Now, forecasters are banking on volatile factors from wind to water finally aligning Friday and with it, will come the Titans.
“What we’re looking for is one swell that’s large enough to hold the contest, coming from the right direction, that hits during daylight hours and holds through for an eight-hour period with good winds — all that criteria has been met, Friday’s the day,” said Mavericks forecaster Mark Sponsler, who’s been predicting contests since they began in 1999. “The jet stream is raging right now, and that’s all being fueled by El Niño.”
Massive swells churning in the Pacific will also power Hawaii’s notorious Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf competition Wednesday, Feb. 10. The seldom-held island event provided a positive sign for those keeping an eye on the California coastline.
As did last weekend when some of this season’s largest sets struck Mavericks with 40-foot waves pumping along the coast. But due to the Super Bowl and U.S. Coast Guard’s blackout dates, the contest didn’t have a chance.
Rebranded as the Titans of Mavericks, the invite-only competition attracts 24 professional adrenaline junkies to 30- to 50-foot waves at the perilous break near Pillar Point Harbor. Given just 48 hours notice, the men in this year’s lineup must hightail it to Northern California to battle for the title and a few new prizes.
While Cartel brought some welcomed changes — such as an enhanced $120,000 purse as well as new prizes like the $10,000 Peet’s Coffee Boldest Drop, $5,000 Clif Bar Best Barrel and the Silon Milosky Memorial awards — spectators opting to get a little closer to the action won’t be treated to a viewing festival this year.
The bluffs and beach have long been closed during the Mavericks surf competitions since a powerful 2010 wave ripped ashore and injured spectators. So there’s no need to bust out the beach towels for the event. Instead, Cartel has partnered with Red Bull TV to broadcast the one-day contest and local establishments — including several at Pillar Point Harbor — will host viewing parties.
Events in Half Moon Bay will be held at the Old Princeton Landing, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and Cameron’s Restaurant. In San Francisco, fans are encouraged to visit Wipeout Bar and Pete’s Tavern; and in Santa Cruz parties will be hosted at Pleasure Pizza East Side Eatery as well as the Reef Bar and Pono Hawaiian Grill, Cartel officials said previously.
Brian Overfelt, Mavericks’ event relations and head of photography as well as owner of the Old Princeton Landing, said he’s pumped for Friday.
“I’m excited! We’re going to have surf all day at Mavericks, it’s going to be big and beautiful and the weather’s going to be nice. We’re going to have our first event with Titans of Mavericks and we’re really looking forward to sharing it with the world. The goal is to get this thing sustainable, to share it with the world and properly, on a high-premium platform,” Overfelt said, briefly referring to years past when organizers often sweated over funding the contest.
Emphasizing that calling a contest is never an easy decision, Overfelt and Sponsler said the Committee of 5 — comprised of Mavericks maven Jeff Clark and renowned surfers — took several hours and two votes before confirming Friday would be the day.
“It’s hard,” Overfelt said. “It’s gnarly, it’s a very difficult thing to do. Because if you mess up, there’s a lot of resources wasted and a lot of people get upset.”
Factoring into the decision is whether suitable conditions would arrive again before the open-window period closes at the end of next month. Even if powerful swells arrive, choppy waters and wind during active oscillations can create dangerous conditions — such as last month when world record-holding surfer Garrett McNamara took a tumble that broke an arm.
“It’s like we’ve got a bird in the hand — a good swell and solid weather. What are the chances we’re going to get that again any time soon?” Sponsler said, adding the warmer ocean temperatures has its pitfalls as well. “El Niño is the big thing. The issue has been we’ve been plagued by south winds and that’s how Garrett got hurt on a bad day.”
Ultimately, Overfelt said organizers want to make sure the conditions are optimal and that the athletes are safe — well, as safe as one can be while barreling down towering walls of water.
Overfelt said his bar will have the live action on several screens, there’s an awards ceremony and after party at It’s Italia Restaurant, He encouraged surf fans to make the trip to the coast.
“I do think that the energy and the fact that all the athletes are here and that we’re in Half Moon Bay, in the Bay Area, I think a lot of people are going to come out and I think they should,” Overfelt said. “Come celebrate Bay Area sports and culture and especially big wave surfing all day.”
Visit titansofmavericks.com for more information. The contest runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be watched live at www.RedBull.tv.
samantha@smdailyjournal.com
(650) 344-5200 ext. 106
