THE DAY: Thirty-foot faces with little to no wind under sunny skies before March31. Organizers were lucky enough to find such a day (Feb.7) last winter. But fog, unfavorable surface chop and inconsistent swell have plagued the contest in its four previous incarnations. The contest window may be extended through April.
THE SCHEDULE: Opening heats will kick off at 8 a.m. with four six-man rounds of 40 minutes each. The semifinals will follow, with the finals tentatively slated for 1:30 p.m.
THE SURFERS: They come from all over the globe: Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Hawaii. But the majority of invitees still hail from Northern California – nine from Santa Cruz, six from San Francisco, Pacifica and Half Moon Bay.
THE COMPETITION: Can you really judge the aquatic equivalent of an ascent on Everest? It’s a question surfers have been wrestling with for years. Three judges will watch through binoculars from the cliff above Mavericks and rate each ride. Based on who nabs the biggest two waves and negotiates them successfully in each heat, the top three scorers will advance to the next round.
THE HISTORY: Originally called the Men Who Ride Mountains and sponsored by surfwear giant Quiksilver, the one-day event began in 1999. It got off to a shaky start when a thick fog bank forced the event to be shortened. Fickle swell and sponsorship issues shelved the contest for three years before the current group, Mavericks Surf Ventures, brought it back in 2004. Santa Cruz’s Darryl “Flea” Virostko is a three-time winner, and 20-year-old Anthony Tashnick kept the title in Santa Cruz in 2005. South African Grant “Twiggy” Baker came out of nowhere in ’06.
IF YOU GO: Last year’s event drew an estimated 50,000-plus to the San Mateo coast. This year parking will be more limited and organizers are hoping increased off-site viewing options will encourage many to stay away – and therefore protect the fragile coastal environment.
Anticipate a shuttle ride from the Half Moon Bay airport and then a 20-minute hike to the beach. There, two big screens will show the action live. Scratching your way up the loose cliff for a view with binoculars is largely futile – and fairly dangerous. Last year three onlookers were injured when rocks fell from above.
Big spenders can plunk down $250 for the chance to watch the action up close on a charter boat.
IF YOU DON’T GO: Cubicle denizens and homebodies can check out the live Web feed at CBS Sportsline. City folk can swing over to AT&T Park where, for $20 to $25, you get a live view from the Field Club Lounge. (Details for above options can be found at www.maverickssurf.com.)
The best option might be to tune into MercuryNews.com for a live contest blog detailing the heat-by-heat action from the water, along with a steady stream of photos and video throughout the day.
