Their optimism stems from the presence of El Niño conditions, which are already stirring up storms abroad and propelling promising ripples this way. Fifteen-foot waves materialized at Mavericks Thursday morning, drawing dozens of surfers looking to wet their boards in the first major break of the season. Mark Sponsler, known as the Mavericks weather guru, was among them.
Sponsler has ridden Mavericks for about a decade and acted as chief forecaster for the contest since its inception in 1999. By his account, a respectable display washing in early during an El Niño year indicates a strong likelihood for substantial sets to follow.
 Surfers flocked to Mavericks last week for the unofficial opening of the season. Fifteen-foot waves are good news for surfers who are expecting a terrific season this year. |
Sponsler anticipates quality waves at Mavericks during the next two weeks. Given oscillating weather patterns, he says prime swells are likely to show up in three-week intervals on and off through the season. “It’s not clockwork, but it sets a general idea.”
Last year, one of the best swells surfers can recall seeing at Mavericks rolled in Thanksgiving weekend, just days before the contest window was set to open. A decent set refused to manifest for the remainder of the season. This year, coordinators bumped up the date to catch the waves and avoid another disappointment. Two of the past three years passed without a contest.
If waves strike Nov. 1, the pieces are in place to hold a contest. The same 24 surfers from last year are on call, and a $150,000 prize purse is rolling over.
“This thing has been lined up for months,” said Keir Beadling, Mavericks Surf Ventures CEO.
In a deviation from previous years, the surfers are in charge of calling the contest. In a sudden and disputed departure earlier this year, Mavericks pioneer Jeff Clark announced he would step down as contest director. Without someone in the director’s chair, the surfers will cast their votes when potential contest conditions roll in.
“If they want to be surfing in a rainstorm, it’s entirely up to those guys,” Beadling said.
“It’s an experiment, for sure. … With any luck, we’ll have a good day by Thanksgiving,” said big-wave surfer Grant Washburn, a recurring invitee to the contest.
Clark’s wife, contest co-director Katherine Clark, said contestants invited the Mavericks figurehead to participate as an honorary invitee, but he’s shying away from any involvement. “Last I was told, he’s not really interested in doing that,” she said.
The annual opening ceremony for the contest, in which surfers line up in front of their boards and paddle out to bless the event, is being held Friday afternoon on the beach at the tip of Pillar Point.
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