HALF MOON BAY >> The Titans of Mavericks big wave surf contest is finally getting its day in the sun.
On Friday, the storied contest will be held for the first time under its new name, organizers announced Tuesday morning.
Zach Wormhoudt of Santa Cruz, one of only two surfers to be invited to every contest held at the break near Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay, said he is “pretty excited” for the contest.
“It looks like the swell forecast and all that is pretty off the charts good,” he said. “It’s a good thing there’s no blackout dates and we’re ready to go.”
Several large swells have passed through Maverick’s without a contest since the waiting period opened in November. Some didn’t get the call because they weren’t clean or consistent enough to be contestable, others — such as the massive one that passed through last Friday — because they coincided with security blackout dates imposed by the Air Force, which has a base on the cliffs overlooking the break.
But this weekend calls for 25- to 35-foot faces, favorable easterly winds and sunny skies, according to Kevin Wallis, the lead forecaster for Surfline.com.
“It’s a good swell, but it’s not going to be a giant swell for Maverick’s,” Wallis said.
The swell comes from the same storm that convinced organizers of Hawaii’s Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau contest to hold that event Wednesday. However, Wallis said the storm will fizzle out shortly after it hits the islands. He said the 2,000 miles between Hawaii and California will cause “swell decay” which will likely keep the waves from hitting the 50-plus-foot benchmark of some of the largest contests.
Seven surfers from the Santa Cruz area are among the 24 invitees who will be competing for the $120,000 purse, according to the “Money Clock” on the Titans of Mavericks website. Two more are alternates. The invitees include Wormhoudt, Tyler Fox, Nic Lamb, Ken “Skindog” Collins, Shane Desmond, Ryan Augenstein and Anthony Tashnick. Siblings Patrick Shaughnessy (fifth) and Savannah Shaughnessy (seventh) are the alternates.
The contest will be missing its two most recent winners, Grant “Twiggy Baker (2014, ’06) and Peter Mel (’13). Baker, of South Africa, was suspended for a season after event producer Cartel Management deemed he had conducted himself in a way not befitting of a contestant, and thus broke his contestant contract, when he was openly critical of organizers’ decision to leave Mel off the invite list. Mel, of Santa Cruz, was not issued an invitation because he is the commissioner for the World Surf League’s Big Wave Tour, within which many of the Maverick’s surfers compete.
“Even though the punishment seems harsh for trying to support a fellow surfer, I accept the decision,” Baker said in a statement. “These contests should be about who is invited rather then who isn’t.”
A few past champions will still be found within the four six-man heats come Friday morning. Among them will be Chris Bertish of South Africa, whose 2010 victory came amidst the contest’s biggest conditions and massive rogue waves that injured several spectators on shore. Greg Long of San Clemente won in 2008 after suggesting all the finalist share the $30,000 winner’s purse. And Tashnick broke Santa Cruz champion Darryl “Flea” Virostko’s three-win streak in 2005.
This year’s event will not feature a fan festival and fans will not be allowed on the beach near the break. However, the event will be live streamed on redbull.tv and will be broadcast at bars and restaurants in the Pillar Point area.
Titans of Mavericks big wave surf contest
When: Friday, time TBA
Where: Maverick’s surf break, near Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay
Webcast: Redbull.tv
Watch: There will be no fan festival and the cliffs will be closed to the public. Fans looking for a first-person view of the action can buy a ticket for a seat on a boat. Otherwise, bars and restaurants around the harbor are expected to show the webcast.
Details: titansofmavericks.com.
Titans of Mavericks participants
Ken Collins, Santa Cruz
Anthony Tashnick, Santa Cruz
Shane Desmond, Santa Cruz
Shane Dorian, Hawaii
Alex Martins, Brazil
Colin Dwyer, Pacifica
Derek Dunfee, La Jolla
Grant Washburn, San Francisco
Dave Wassell, Hawaii
Ben Wilkinson, Australia
Chris Bertish, South Africa
Greg Long, San Clemente
Mark Healey, Hawaii
Nic Lamb, Santa Cruz
Ryan Augenstein, Santa Cruz
Tyler Fox, Aptos
Jamie Mitchell, Australia
Kohl Christensen, Hawaii
Jamie Sterling, Hawaii
Rusty Long, San Clemente
Ryan Seelbach, San Francisco
Nathan Fletcher, San Clemente
Carlos Burle, Brazil
Zach Wromhoudt, Santa Cruz
