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The big-wave hot spot, drama queen of the Central Coast, reserves
its right to rest once in awhile. This season, though organizers and
surfers and fans and reporters were poised and waiting, there will be
no Maverick's Surf Contest. There just wasn't a good enough swell, or,
really, any swell during the January to March waiting period.
"Mother Nature didn't deliver contest-worthy swell this year, and
we're humble and respectful of that," said Keir Beadling, a co-founder
of Mavericks Surf Ventures, which puts on the contest. This year, a
$75,000 prize purse awaited the winners, ponied up by Oakland search
engine Ask.com.
What are you gonna do?
"It's kinda like, 'Oh well, wait for next year,'" Santa Cruz surfer Anthony Tashnick, 2005 Maverick's champ, said.
The season's lackluster conditions have been surprising, said Tashnick.
"All the years I've seen it, this year's been a shocker," he said.
"There's been some waves, but not like the winters we're used to"
Taking a break for a year will stoke his fires for next year,
though, he said. Meantime, like many of the wave-riding globe trotters,
he'll head to big-wave spots including Puerto Escondido and South
Africa.
Contest surfers were disappointed but not too upset about the event
not happening, saying that's just the breaks when it comes to surfing.
"Everyone wants a contest every year, but that's just the way it
goes," said Greg Long of San Clemente. "That's Mother Nature for ya"
Santa Cruz's Peter Mel agreed.
"It kind of comes with the territory, unfortunately," he said. "It's
disappointing because Maverick's is one of the most consistent waves on
the planet. It's a rare season, but sometimes it happens"
Veteran competitor Zach Wormhoudt of Santa Cruz said that consistency can be misleading.
"The fact they've been able to have as many Maverick's contests as
they've had consecutively is probably more of a blessing than they
know," Wormhoudt said.
Still, said Mel, it's probably been a decade or more since he's seen
an entire winter go by with nearly no big swells at Maverick's.
Holding off on it actually adds to its allure, though, said contestant Ken "Skindog" Collins of Santa Cruz.
"I personally think you can't have a big-wave contest every year, so
it makes it more prestigious," he said. "It's not like, 'Cold Water
Classic, here's another one, Cold Water Classic, here's another one.'"
Not holding Maverick's when there aren't contest-worth conditions
puts it in line with the esteemed Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In
Memory of Eddie Aikau, said Collins. In the 22-year history of that
event, it's only been held seven times because of its stringent
wave-height requirements.
In the nine years since its inception, Maverick's has been canceled three times.
It wouldn't be unusual for a couple seasons to go by without stellar
big waves, said Wormhoudt. But competitors are hoping next year will
come back strong.
Maverick's is "definitely a big event and everyone is just dying to
have it on," said Collins. "It's kind of a bummer that it didn't
happen, but I think it's going to just build up the anticipation for
next year"
So, Maverick's ... au revoir for now. We look forward to seeing you again.
On the Web: The Maverick's organizers are looking at producing
events for Maverick's fans down the road, according to Beadling. You
can stay tuned at maverickssurf.com.
- LOCALS HIT BIG TIME: Local rhino chasers Kenny Collins,
Alistair Craft and Jamilah Star were nominated for the 2007 Billabong
XXL Global Big Wave Awards, going up against nominees surfing massive
waves in such far-flung spots as South Africa, Australia, Spain,
Mexico, Chile, Tahiti and Tasmania.
Collins was nominated in two categories: Ride of the Year for a wave
in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, and Monster Tube Award for the same wave.
Craft was nominated for XXL Biggest Wave Award for a ride at Ghost Tree
in Pebble Beach on Dec. 11, 2006. Star was nominated for Women's Best
Overall Performance Award.
The awards, which seek to recognize the largest wave ridden during the year ended March 31, are based on still or video images.
Ride of the Year, a new category, carries a $50,000 prize; Biggest
Wave is $15,000; Monster Tube is $15,000; Women's Best Overall is
$5,000.
The winners will be announced April 13 at the Grove Theater in Anaheim.
- NEW SURF SHOP IN CAPITOLA: Free to Ride, a new surf shop
in Capitola, held its grand opening Saturday. The small shop, owned by
Kelly and Vince Felicetta of Brookdale, carries surfboards by Nick
Palandrani under the Source and GP labels. It also carries a few other
brands of boards, general surf gear and clothing including local brands
such as Girls4Sport, Sessions, Water Bettys and Rainbow fins. The
Felicettas' daughters, Keara, 18, and Elise, 16, will also help run the
shop, said Kelly. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shop is at 115 San
Jose Ave. Ste. D, inside the Capitola Mercantile. Contact: 475-2401;
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Send surf items to Gwen Mickelson at
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