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Uploaded: Thursday, January 17, 2013, 8:52 AM
Updated: Friday, January 18, 2013, 8:59 AM
Mavericks returns to Half Moon Bay this weekend
Popular big-wave surf contest to feature 24 expert surfers
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Photo
 | Surf's up this weekend off the coast of Half Moon Bay, as officials have declared Sunday game day for the Mavericks Invitational, a world-renowned big-wave surf contest.
This is a big deal for the coast, as it has not held a Mavericks contest since 2010 because Mother Nature failed to produce ideal conditions.
"We're really excited that we actually have a swell," contest co-founder Jeff Clark said. "This is the biggest swell we've had for a couple years."
This weekend's event will bring to coastal shores 24 expert surfers and a ton of fanfare. The two dozen chosen surfers are those deemed most skilled from around the world. The contest is held a half-mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay at the Mavericks break.
Contest conditions are extreme, with waves in past years as high as 50 feet, strong currents, frigid water and jagged rocks. Clark said the conditions are extremely dangerous, and the surfers put to good use their year-round training regimens.
When asked how high the waves from this swell will be, Clark immediately responded "big."
"We're hoping for at least 30-foot range, but the ocean does what it wants and it's not going to give you that perfect storm every year," he said.
For more information about the event, go to mavericksinvitational.com.— Bay City News Service Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by MV Resident, a resident of Mountain View, on Jan 17, 2013 at 9:32 am The hyperlink is wrong and points to an old website for the 2009-10 event.
The correct web address is: www.mavericksinvitational.com
Access to the bluffs and beach at Pillar Point will be denied by local authorities due to safety and environmental concerns.
There will be a media village set up in the field behind the Oceano Hotel at Princeton Harbor (Capistrano Way and PCH) where video will be streamed live (I believe general admission is $20).
The live action will also be streamed at the aforementioned website for free. Preliminary heats start at 8am.
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Posted by Mr.Recycle, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Jan 17, 2013 at 8:39 pm Are the bluffs only closed Sunday?
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Posted by gina, a resident of Los Altos Hills, on Jan 18, 2013 at 10:31 am Like thousands of people will be willing to shell out money to watch surfing on a big screen, ya right. you know there will be people trying to climb the bluffs one way or another.
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Posted by cliffside, a resident of Los Altos Hills, on Jan 18, 2013 at 10:32 am I hiked the bluffs in early December, as well as last year.
Don't know about the days surrounding Sunday.
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Posted by cliffside, a resident of Los Altos Hills, on Jan 18, 2013 at 10:36 am Part of the bluffs are Federal land (I think, past the dome) and part belongs to POST.
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Posted by SteveC, a resident of Menlo Park, on Jan 18, 2013 at 11:03 am Access to the beach is restricted due to safety concerns? Sounds like a crock. Too bad fans are shut out again. Would have been fun to head down with a beach chair and binoculars.
Any charter boats going out?
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Posted by cliffside, a resident of Los Altos Hills, on Jan 18, 2013 at 11:37 am Steve C:
First time to this rodeo, eh, big boy?
A couple years ago, a rogue wave hit the beach, trashed the stage and broke a bunch of bones. Yeah: "Sounds like a crock", right.
great photo Web Link you can youtube the video
Beach access may be open, but useless anyway, that's why they set up the screens on the beach. The action is too far off the beach. The best view is up a couple hundred feet, on those beautiful bluffs, but they are closed for safety and environmental reasons.
Go hike the bluffs next week and you'll see why. Another god shot Web Link
So rather than put a bigscreen on the beach and risk another rogue, they moved it to a safe spot.
Charter boats to watch the backside of the wave? Silly lad, they perform on the other side of the wave!
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Posted by cliffside, a resident of Los Altos Hills, on Jan 18, 2013 at 11:39 am correction *good shot
A God shot would be from above, not below...
;-)
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Posted by Wish to tv watch, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Jan 18, 2013 at 11:53 am Does anyone know the tv channels this will be on?
Thanks
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Posted by Tyler Hanley, online editor of Palo Alto Online, on Jan 18, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Tyler Hanley is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online Thanks for the note MV Resident. The link is now fixed.
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