Spectators Banned From Mavericks Surf Contest

After a rogue wave injured more than a dozen spectators at last year’s Mavericks surf contest, onlookers have now been formally barred from lining up along the coast south of San Francisco to catch a glimpse of the world’s most prestigious surfing competition. Every year, tens of thousands of people hunker down along the sandy cliffs that dot the coastline, hoping to see the world’s best surfers come and try their craft on the waves of the Pacific. But more than a dozen people were injured last February when a rogue wave, measuring about 5 to 6 feet high, plowed over a jetty and rushed about 40 feet inland, sending several people to the hospital with injuries as severe as broken legs and arms.

---

So this time around, people are not just being urged to stay home. Officials are closing off shore access to spectators, who have numbered 40,000 in some years. Crowd size has depended on the weather and when “the call” is made to gather up the surfers under the best conditions and begin the contest.

Instead, organizers will set up a large video screen about a mile away, where the public can gather to watch the competition.

More than that, officials are recommending people stay home and watch the live webstream, which will be carried at thejayatmavericks.com. And with so much excitement surrounding this year’s contest, featuring a rare Mavericks appearance by 10-time world champion Kelly Slater, the best seat in the house might just be on your couch at home.