Mavericks in Northern California will host the most experienced big wave riders. Photo: Surf Channel | Shannon Quirk
Ready for the best show on Earth? For the first time in history, Mavericks Invitational will be televised live! The official “Green Light” has been issued for the Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour‘s crown jewel event, the Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented by GoPro. Competitors, sponsors and event staff are all starting to arrive for the event kicking off Friday, January 24th.
A good warm-up swell is in the water at Mavericks today as the athletes prepare to take on the world’s most dangerous wave.
Opening Ceremony as competitors gathered to pray for waves and each others’ safety. Photo: Surf Channel | Washburn Family. Scroll down below for the Round 1 heat draw!
The Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented byGoPro® – the world’s premier, high adrenaline big wave surfing contest – and Universal Sports Network announce an unprecedented broadcast partnership to air the event live on national television for the first time ever. NBC‘s Universal Sports will broadcast the final two heats of the contest live to a nationwide audience.
Universal Sports Network is available on Time Warner Cable, Cox, Verizon FiOS, satellite providers DIRECTV and DISH and numerous regional cable and IPTV operators in markets across the country.
A large North Pacific swell is forecasted to hit Mavericks on Friday. Click for animated Storm Surf graph.
Making the right call for Mavericks Invitational takes the perfect blend of science and experience. Enter surf forecaster and Mavericks surfer Mark Sponsler of StormSurf.com who tracks the swells that form thousands of miles away from the California coast and uses satellite technology to track their their height, direction and fetch. As Mark explains, it takes many factors to make the perfect peaks at Mavericks and, in any given winter, that could mean really just one or two contest-worthy days.
Mark is the lead forecaster for the Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented by GoPro. And he is supported by some heavy hitters, particularly Mavericks Pioneer and contest director Jeff Clark, three-time Mavericks champion Darryl Virostko, and Mavericks champion and Big Wave World Tour champ Greg Long. Together, they determine if the predicted swells will indeed hold up to the demands of Mavericks and gave the green light for the event.
Last year’s finalists Greg Long (USA) on the right and Mark Healey (HAW) with a critical drop on the left. Photo: Surf Channel | Shannon Quirk
“Mavericks Invitational is one of the premier events on the Big Wave World Tour. To have Body Glove and its rich history partner up with the BWWT and Mavericks Invitational it is sure to be a great event,” says Peter Mel, 2012-13 Mavericks Invitational Champion. “With all their support, the stories of the athletes and big wave surfing competition will be conveyed to the globe through a world-class production. I cannot wait to get this winter started.”
Announcing the 2014 Heat Draw for Round 1:
The 24 Mavericks Invitational Competitors:
- Ryan Augenstein (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Grant Baker (South Africa)
- Chris Bertish (South Africa)
- Carlos Burle (Brazil)
- Kohl Christensen (Hawaii)
- Ken Collins (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Shawn Dollar (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Shane Dorian (Hawaii)
- Colin Dwyer (Pacifica, CA)
- Nathan Fletcher (San Clemente, CA)
- Tyler Fox (Aptos, CA)
- Mark Healey (Hawaii)
- Nic Lamb (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Greg Long (San Clemente, CA)
- Rusty Long (San Clemente, CA)
- Alex Martins (Brazil)
- Peter Mel (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Ryan Seelbach (San Francisco, CA)
- Jamie Sterling (Hawaii)
- Anthony Tashnick (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Grant Washburn (San Francisco, CA)
- Dave Wassell (Hawaii)
- Ben Wilkinson (Australia)
- Zach Wormhoudt (Santa Cruz, CA)
The Alternates:
- Shane Desmond (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Danilo Couto (Brazil)
- Derek Dunfee (San Diego, CA
- Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL)
- Tyler Smith (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Frank Solomon (South Africa)
The entire contest will stream live on www.universalsports.com and www.mavericksinvitational.com.
For more information, visit: Body Glove Mavericks Invitational presented by GoPro.
