World's surfing greats gather

After shaking hands on the beach while standing behind their 10-foot-plus surfboards, called guns, 23 of the competitors paddled out to the protected lagoon. They joined hands in a circle and "pay respect to the great ocean," said contest organizer Jeff Clark.

Clark, of Half Moon Bay, began surfing Mavericks about 30 years ago and surfed it alone until the early 1990s. Clark said he wasn't trying to keep the wave a secret, but said none of his friends wanted to join him.

Now Mavericks is recognized among surfers worldwide as one of a handful of places that can be ridden at 30 feet and above. Clark named the spot after his dog.

Cold water, currents and rocks are among the hazards, and shark encounters are not out of the question. Surfers who fall while dropping in to the massive waves often bounce off the rock reef and are held under for more than a minute, sometimes washing up on the rocks with broken leashes and surfboards.

This year's event will have a $75,000 purse with a $25,000 check for the winner, subjectively judged on size of wave, manuevers and courage. The 24 invited surfers and 15 alternates come from Australia, Hawaii, Brazil and beach towns from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. Mavericks takes winter swells from most directions and can be surfed on most tides, easing the chances of a sunny day for the contest.

While some of the surfers are sponsored professionals, San Francisco surfer Grant Washburn said most contestants have day jobs. Standing beside his blue, 10-foot-2-inch gun shaped by Clark, he said the camraderie in big surf goes beyond competition. Washburn compared big-wave surf contests to golf: 24 competitors are out there and whoever has the best day wins.

"The crowd mentality isn't really out there, everyone just cheers each other on," he said.

Organizers will choose a day with smooth 20-foot-plus waves to hold the contest before March 31, hopefully when the sky is blue. There will be a 24-hour notification.

About 15,000 attended it last year, contest organizers said, but many spectators on the beach could see little through the haze and sea spray. The organizers do not encourage spectators to climb the cliff that overlooks the break though it might offer the best view with a set of binoculars.

Santa Cruz professional surfer Peter Mel, a definite contender to win this year, said it is becoming more crowded in the water. He surfed Mavericks for the first time this season Thursday.

"I surfed for five hours," he said. "I'm a bit more excited this year," he said.

Last year's contest was held in disappointing surf, but Mel said this winter "could be one of those winters we all talk about for years to come, or it could be nothing," Mel said. "I'm thinking positively."

Surf forecasters agonize making the call for the contest, but the science has come far in the last few years. There is also a live-feed video camera pointed at the spot on the Internet.

Last year's winner Darryl "Flea" Virostko, of Santa Cruz, showed up Friday more than an hour late, missing the beach pleasantries. He had been surfing, of course, with fellow competitor Ken Collins in 20-foot waves at Moss Landing. Virostko, 29, got his nickname when friends said he looked like a flea dropping down the face of big waves. He stands 5 feet 10 inches.

After sprinting across the beach, Virostko zipped his wetsuit at water's edge and paddled out to join the circle. They raised their joined arms, hooted three times, and splashed water into the circle. While 16 competitors paddled back in, seven headed into the lineup to catch waves as the sun hung low, Virostko among them.

Meanwhile Collins had parked his Toyota Tundra in an illegal spot on the dirt road directly in front of the break, and was getting a parking ticket.

"It's fairly stressful, big-wave hunting," Washburn said, describing how rare it is for elements of tide, wind, swell and sun to come together for a contest. "Sometimes it'll go years without that happening."

Grinning, he said,"It's all worth it."

Spectator information will be available at www.maverickssurf.com.

Stephen Baxter can be reached by e-mail at stephen@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 109. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.