Big surf at Mavericks attracts many

RICK FIGNETTI

A big storm went by last week and sent some Aleutian juice down the

California coastline, as the buoy readings picked up the swell big

time.

That sent Mavericks contest organizer and founding surf spot

pioneer Jeff Clark scurrying to get the “Mavs” Big Wave event

started. Big-wave riders came flying in from Hawaii and Brazil, along

with some of the new guard big-wave shredders from the West Coast to

Half Moon Bay.

The contest was on, with surf running 25 to 40 feet, breaking off

the point and pretty decent shape the first part of last week through

last Wednesday’s finals.

This year, defending champ Darryl “Flea” Virostko was out with a

knee injury from a few months ago at the Quicksilver Eddie Aikau Big

Wave Classic at Waimea Bay, leaving the door open for some else to

take it. Another big-wave shredder who’s been a standout at Mavericks

over the years, Peter Mel, went down early along with some other

veterans like Hawaii’s Garret McNamara and Surfing Mag editor Evan

Slater.

Charging in from the west side of Santa Cruz, 20-year-old Anthony

Tashnick made some fearless takeoffs in the final to take the win.

Tashnick caught some biggies -- some way behind and under the lip --

charged the giant right-hand walls and made them, picking up much

respect and a check for $25,000 for the victory. Tashnick had to

recover from a bad wipeout in the semis to move on, which could have,

or would have, ended the competition for most surfers.

Placing second was San Clemente’s 21-year-old Greg Long, who had

only surfed “Mavs” twice before, but was a standout -- even getting a

perfect 10 in one heat. Long rode a 9-foot-8 gun surfboard that had

been shaped by a friend who passed away recently, so the high finish

had special meaning for him.

Third was another up-and-coming charger from Santa Cruz, Tyler

Smith, who was going for it too. Fourth went to Zach Wormhoudt, one

of the pioneers there. Fifth-place finisher Shane Desmond, another

west side boy, got a perfect 10 in one heat, and caught what most

observed as one of the largest backside waves ever ridden out there.

The cliffs were lined with lots of spectators who witnessed the

event at Pillar Point. The media was on hand with TV crews

documenting the action, plus some boats checking out the art of

big-wave surfing from the sea!

Not only do the surfers have to deal with the giant surf, but

water temps were in the 40s, ouch! Not only that, great white sharks

are known to frequent the site too, wow! Should be some great shots

in the next upcoming issues of the surf mags.

Speaking of big waves, local surfer Danny Misken has been doing

some big-wave riding and toe-ins at some secret spots on the Central

Coast and Santa Cruz with former Surf City resident Mike Downey.

They’ve been getting some 15- to 20-foot-plus surf, pushing the

limits.

We’ve been getting pretty lucky with good surf the past week and

nice weather as well. Can ya believe it? Maybe spring is finally here

and winter’s over. I sure hope so.

See ya, Fig over and out.

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

announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 11 years and has been the

KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf

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

(714) 536-1058.