Big-wave riders to hit Mav’s

RICK FIGNETTI

It’s hard to believe 2003 went out the door so fast and we’re already

into 2004 with hopes of bigger and better waves. Is that too much to

ask for, with some nice weather thrown in, too?

You can definitely tell winter is here. After that last storm went

by, it left some arctic air, giving us temps in the 40s, some snow

and rain and some good-sized swellage. Break out the booties if you

haven’t yet done so, ‘cause our water out front is dropping fast to

around the mid-50s -- burr dog willies.

These wintertime storms have already been sending big waves up

north. One of the premier big wave breaks on the West Coast is

Mavericks up by Half Moon Bay. They haven’t had the Mav’s

Invitational the last couple years.

Mavericks’ pioneer Jeff Clark, one of the first to surf it back in

the day, is teaming up with Evolve Vengeance to run it this year,

surf permitting. The waiting period is on a 24-hour notice when the

waves are 25-feet plus and bigger till March 31. The invites went out

to the top 24 big-wave riders from around the globe.

Mavericks is a point break that handles huge swells, mostly a

right with a shorter left. There is a rock reef below, and when the

waves break, the water sucks through the rocks like a vacuum, making

it a pretty scary place, breaking way out there. Surfers there

usually have to be dropped off by boat, and there have been sightings

of great white sharks in the lineup, not to mention the coldness

factor, too.

It was a few years back when big-wave Hawaiian rider Mark Foo

drowned there, which shook up the whole surfing world.

The judges judge from a boat in the channel, and there are jet

skis to help pull riders out in case of emergencies. The prize money

doesn’t match the courageousness of these surfers who thrive on the

moment battling a life-or-death situation. These surfers prefer

thoughts that they’re among the few who can handle it, and hope to

get the biggest bomb out there and have bragging rights to talk about

it.

The National Scholastic Surfing Assn. has been on a roll. In the

AA Open at Seaside last month, local surfers were ripping it up.

In men’s, Seal Beach’s Chris Waring took the win, Huntington Beach

High’s Marty Weinstein placed second in juniors, while transplant

Shana Saraiva was fourth in boys. In women’s, Newport’s Erica

Hosseini again had winning ways, with Lauren Sweeney and Allison

Arvizu second and third, respectively.

This weekend is Oceanside Pier for event six. At the Explorer

contest at Church’s a couple weeks ago, local Brandon Guilmette

ripped to second place in the men’s division. Saraiva made another

final, placing third in menehunes and Justin Hugron was third in

long-board with some fancy footwork. The Figster won super seniors,

Huntington Surf and Sport team captain Scott Waring took second and

Dave Kerr, the former Huntington resident living down south, was

third. Women’s saw Surf City’s Laura Marasco place third -- she is

holding down second in the overall standings.

The next one is Jan. 10 and 11 at Seaside Reef. That’s it for now.

Make your resolutions and stick to them.

See ya.

* RICK FIGNETTI is an eight-time West Coast champion, has

announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last nine years and has been

the KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 17 years, doing morning surf

reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at

(714) 536-1058.