The official contest window for the Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented by GoPro is set to open on November 1 and run through Mach 31, 2014. With as little as 24 hours notice, the international roster of invited big wave surfers are called to action when the giant waves and conditions are just right to hold the day-long contest.
To celebrate the opening of this new season, the big wave surf community will gather for the traditional Opening Ceremony and Paddle Out at the beach at Mavericks on Friday, October 25, at 2 p.m. While this is not the official contest day, it is an opportunity for the surfers and community to gather and celebrate the upcoming season.
"The Opening Ceremony is our annual ‘gathering of the tribe’ – a chance to get together before the season opens,” said Contest Director and Mavericks Pioneer Jeff Clark. "It’s a more relaxed atmosphere than contest day and gives the fans, surfers and local kids a chance to meet the competitors and join them for the ceremonial paddle out."
The Opening Ceremony is a ritual unlike any other, and with a high surf warning this week brings added excitement for the winter season. The ceremony takes place on the beach with family, friends and the community. In the long-honored Hawaiian tradition, surfers then paddle out to the water and form a prayer circle to commemorate the event, show respect to fellow surfers and their safety, and pay tribute to those who have died.
Looking Ahead: Contest Day
When the wave and atmospheric conditions are just right, the contest will be called with as little as 24 hours notice sometime during the contest window. Organizers, county and local agencies, the competitors and fans step into high gear to make it to the small town of Princeton for this world-class event. San Mateo County Sheriff and other agencies coordinate to ease traffic and close access to the beach and the environmentally-sensitive and dangerous cliffs at Mavericks.
To give the public a place to party and watch the action, the Mavericks Viewing Festival will be the epicenter for the contest, and will be held on the grounds of the Oceano Hotel & Spa in Princeton Harbor, Half Moon Bay. Organizers will also have a free live webcast for viewers across the globe.
The Mavericks Viewing Festival will start at 8 a.m. just as the first heat of the contest starts. The festival will run all day long with a live steam of the contest action on jumbo screens. Ticket holders will enjoy live contest coverage and contest updates, interviews, music, giveaways, food and refreshments and a chance to meet the surfers as they come in from the water. The event culminates with the awards ceremony on stage and the crowning of the 2013-14 champion.
Ticket prices start at $15 for general admission, with a limited number VIP packages available. Tickets and detailed information are available at www.MavericksInvitational.com.
Parking will be available at the Half Moon Bay Airport, with proceeds benefiting The Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside. All proceeds will benefit future activities, parks and support for the children of the community. Ticket holders can purchase parking passes when buying festival tickets at MavericksInvitational.com.
The Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented by GoPro is the world’s premier, high adrenaline, big wave surfing event. This one-day, invitation-only surfing competition is held at the legendary Mavericks surf break located ½ mile offshore at Pillar Point Harbor, just 20 minutes south of San Francisco. The 24 most daring big-wave surfers in the world will attempt to ride the massive swells on the biggest and best day of the 2013-14 winter season. For additional details, visit MavericksInvitational.com.
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