The wave our World Surf League loves to hate is back!

Mavericks pioneer Jeff Clark announced a new, guaranteed to run surf “contest” that will take place this winter at Mavericks. Every male and female surfer will have ample time, and there will even be room for you to paddle out, if you’re feeling particularly brazen. It will not be a World Surf League event, as Santa Monica loves to hate California’s most iconic big wave, and there will be a “significant cash prize purse” for winners.

How will this miracle happen? By moving it all to the virtual realm, of course, where sharks are pedophiles and Erik Logan’s “robust horizons” spread out as far as the mind can imagine and we must now read the press release for it is our sacred duty to fair and balance.

The Mavericks Surf Awards is a video performance contest where athletes and videographers submit their best surf videos of Mavericks throughout the season, and winners are selected for various categories. All surfers – men and women, seasoned professionals and up-and-comers – are eligible to enter.

A significant cash prize purse will be be divided across five categories: Male Performer of the Year; Female Performer of the Year; Biggest Wave; Best Wave; and Best Barrel. 90% of the prize money for each category will be awarded to the athlete and 10% to the videographer. The window to submit videos is November 1, 2019, through April 15, 2020, and will culminate in an Awards Ceremony in Half Moon Bay in May.

“Our mission is to celebrate Mavericks and support the men and women who have dedicated their lives to surfing this amazing spot,” said Jeff Clark. “When the WSL decided to cancel the contest at Mavericks, it was yet another sign that the times have changed, and we need to change, too. The logistics and politics of running a one-day surf event make it incredibly difficult. This is an opportunity to rewrite the script, keep the surfing pure, and stay out of the way of the athletes who want to go out there and free surf for the pure joy of it. Every swell, there are photographers out there documenting amazing moments that no one even sees. Now we have a way to capture those moments and recognize the best of the best every season.”

Ok, a few questions. I know the WSL cancelled the contest but didn’t they retain the rights? It doesn’t seem like The Mavericks Surf Awards has anything to do with Santa Monica whatsoever. Did Clark and partners find an end around by tacking the word “Awards” on instead of “Contest, Invitational or Pro?”

Should BeachGrit announce its “tour” next year starting with the Quiksilver Pro Awards before heading to the Bells Awards?

Clark says, “Every swell, there are photographers out there documenting amazing moments that no one even sees.” What do you think these photographers do out there with the documented moments no one ever sees? Do they gather on Pillar Point at day’s end and burn their memory cards? Send them all to Santa Monica where they are plastered into the Wall of Positive Noise? A great mystery.

Last, I usually know how I feel about things like this. I have a sense that it is either stupid or fun. This seems fun but I have a sneaking suspicion that it might also be stupid. Can you help me decide?

Thanks in advance.

The world's loveliest two-footer, on demand!

Not sure how long this little piece of vision is going to last so get it while it’s relatively warm.

Here, a day before it officially lifts its skirt to the public, are two waves ridden, and one butchered, at the world’s first full-sized Wavegarden Cove, Bristol’s The Wave, and as shared on LinkedIn by Project Manger Monica Lumsden.

This is what I see: a lovely two-foot, blue-water wave of approximately forty metres length that allows two turns, three if you’re fast or very little before evaporating into deep water. There is no air end section, which may or may not matter given its location.

One presumes better surfers will explore its cavities with scrupulous concern, buttons tweaked etc, before any official vision is released. Nevertheless, this clip, amounts to a precise document of what the average surfer might expect.

Sessions cost forty pounds, the joint opens at eight and last surfers hit the water at three.

Book here. 

"War parties fell into line on either side, dredging up old grudges under the banners of a new conflagration. At one point a jungle sicario was even mentioned."

You been to Costa Rica before? It is to the US as Bali is to Australia. A tropical getaway close to home.

Comfortable. Non threatening. A modern-day ctrl alt dlt for $499 return.

It’s a beautiful place. Tacos and dime bags and warm water. Consistent, user-friendly waves. A culture going back thousands of years (the Guanacaste tribes predated even the Maya). Old jungle.

I worked there for a couple seasons as a surf instructor. My secret shame. Pushing god knows how many VALs into their first waves. VALs that should now, by my calculation, be paddling in front of you on their 7S fishes, and, in some cases, for the more advanced, Hypto Kryptos, in the fight for two-foot closeouts at your local.

VALs that are penning op-eds on The Inertia about how surfing needs to become more inclusive and democratic.

But I jest.

I met many lovely people. Made friends for life from all over the world etc.

Surfing is massive for the country. The town I lived in was essentially built around the first surf school, circa twenty, twenty-five years previous. It’s now a thriving wellness centre with dozens of high-end surf and yoga retreats, holidaying A-List Hollywooders and supermarkets selling expensive cheeses.

The Ticos are a well adjusted, friendly people. Progressive. No standing military since the forties, despite having the fight-loving Nicaraguans on their northern border. Powered by 98% renewables. Per capita one of the happiest places in the world.

But, like any developing country with a reliance on western tourism, there’s an undercurrent of antipathy towards gringos. Especially ones like me that move there and take jobs. Me and the Mrs was robbed twice in one three-month stretch.

Home invasions, everything gone. Perpetrated by the same little crew. We knew who they were. They knew we knew. Things got pretty heavy. War parties fell into line on either side, dredging up old grudges under the banners of a new conflagration. At one point a jungle sicario was even mentioned. Can you imagine it!

In the end, we decided to split. It wasn’t our turf. We got the message. A lesson for me on staying in your own lane. Plus I’m a massive, massive fucking wuss.

But, I digress.

Costa Rica loves surfing so much that they’ve gone and made a National Day for Surfing, in recognition of its value to the country.

Well, ain’t that swell? Will we ever see one in Aus, US, NZ, EU?

What would you do on your National Day of Surfing?

Would you celebrate it in the water with all your new VAL friends? Or would Australians, say, marinate at home with a Skegss album, a favourite piece of quit-lit, braiding beards and wondering where it all went wrong?

And, tell me, what’s your best run in with the locals story?