A couple of days ago, the WSL Big Wave Tour comity was close to pulling the trigger, lifting and waving the green flag for the Mavericks Challenge. Ironically tho, they kept those flag wielding hands firmly by their side pulling the plug because it was “too big”, lol.
Mavericks, if you’re not a surfer you probably have a scene out of Top Gun banging in the back of the head (a single tear rolls down my cheek thinking of Goose *sniff*). But for the rest of us with salt coursing through our veins, we think big, REAL BIG waves!!
The crown jewel of Half Moon Bay, Northern California’s notorious slab has created a few myths and Big Wave Tour dreams as well as cut a few surfers’ lives short.
Forming part of the official competitive big wave calendar, Mavericks has no time for sissies. However, due to its evil step sister like character, the moving building of a wave rarely gets perfect to welcome professional surfers. But when it does, hot daym it’s a thing of beauty.
Too big was probably a scapegoat term, the wave was large no doubt, but the wave conditions were more likely the contests downfall. The wave was gnarly, laden with bumps and tricky sections, basically not so laka.
Best believe that didn’t stop a handful of nutters braving the sharky and shakey waters. I mean, when you nursing a chubby for a swell, you gotta stand up pull down your pants and charge that wave, swinging your manhood in its face as you laugh like a madman. Glassy or choppy, whatevs, this is big wave country, so big men better step up!!
Kai Lenny, Billy Kemper, Grant Baker, Eli Olson, Anthony Tashnick, Willem Banks, Tom Lowe, and more were on the scene.
When asked about the WSL’s call Kai Lenny told Stab the following: “Towing Mavericks was amazing, a completely different experience to paddling the spot. It really felt like a giant slab. In the morning it looked like the right call they didn’t run, but it pretty quickly shaped up into good paddling. I think it was fully contestable. Chunky and mean waves but easier then the Jaws Challenge.”
Maverick’s 12-17-18 from Scott Fitzloff on Vimeo.
