Mavericks surf contest draws thousands to experience thrills

The thrill of riding Mavericks is known to only a few: the very best in big-wave surfing. But the excitement, the danger, the natural beauty - these are things that call out to just about everyone.

Thousands descended upon the San Mateo County coast on Friday to be part of the Mavericks Invitational, which in its ninth running delivered dazzling rides on 40-foot-plus waves along with a number of terrifying wipeouts.

Some crashes forced riders to inflate special vests that brought them to the surface of the chilly and churning water before they ran out of air.

The 24 competitors rode hundreds of yards off Pillar Point, largely out of view. That meant most spectators gathered at a Half Moon Bay hotel to the south, watching a live feed on jumbo screens.

Still, the sight of the ocean, the taste of the salty air and the fellowship of oohing-and-aahing onlookers provided plenty to satisfy.

"I'm not even a surfer, but I feel a part of this," said Jessica Connolly of Vallejo, who was among more than 1,000 people who paid $15 to join a parking lot of revelers at the Oceano Hotel & Spa at Ocean Village. "When you see someone do something this courageous, push their limits as far as they can, it's really special to share in that."

Another fan was Daniel Garland, a San Francisco resident and a surfer. "I wanted to come down and watch these guys surf waves that I'm not brave enough to try," he said.

Grant Baker takes off on a wave during finals of the Maverick's Invitational surf contest in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Baker went on to win the event. Grant Baker takes off on a wave during finals of the Maverick's Invitational surf contest in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Baker went on to win the event. Photo: Mathew Sumner, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Mathew Sumner, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 145 Caption Close Mavericks surf contest draws thousands to experience thrills 1 / 145 Back to Gallery

After nearly seven hours of surfing, the winner was familiar: Grant "Twiggy" Baker, a 40-year-old South African who also won the 2006 contest.

He beat a field of riders from as far away as Brazil, Hawaii and Australia by getting the most out of the giant waves that emerged from a Pacific storm that smacked the California coast this week.

"It was obviously a magical day out there for me personally," said Baker, who pocketed a $12,000 prize. "The conditions were really challenging, super-heavy waves."

Competitor Ryan Seelbach, 44, of San Francisco also described difficult conditions.

"That south and southeast wind is the devil wind," he said. "It makes dropping in harder and with the wind coming up at you it slows you down. ... It's almost like riding a bike down stairs."

Mavericks proved again that it is not the surf scene of beach bums and bikinis. The water is cold and dark. The surf break is accessible only through sometimes menacing winds and strong currents. And great white sharks are known to feed here.

Two big-name surfers have died at the break - Mark Foo of Northern California in 1994, and Hawaiian Sion Milosky in 2011.

Scheduling the contest is always a gamble. It has been held nine times since its debut in 1999, with some years lost to poor conditions - or breakdowns on the business side. But on Friday, some of the waves appeared to approach 50 feet on their faces, a bounty compared with last year's waves, which topped out at about 20 feet.

Hundreds of surf enthusiasts weren't satisfied with watching the action on TV, and tried to make their way to the beach and bluffs at Pillar Point. But a heavy presence by the county Sheriff's Office kept most people out.

The beach was shut down for contest viewing after 2010, when huge waves crashed over rocks and a jetty and injured 13 onlookers.

"I didn't think that it would be this difficult to see something," said Vanita Narayan of Hayward, who strolled on a beach with her daughter, only to be turned away. "If you do manage to get in, they'll find you and kick you out."

The Oceano Hotel, though, had a concert-like atmosphere, with fans cheering among food trucks, beer tents and live music acts.

"There's much more of a connection if you're here," said Robin Cross, who drove from San Francisco to watch with a friend. "It's not just a screen. It's a party."