November 1, 2010

As you may have read, a group other than Mavericks Surf Ventures (MSV) was recently awarded one of several permits required to host a surfing event at Mavericks, which MSV has proudly done since 2004 with The Mavericks Surf Contest®. We are, of course, massively disappointed with the decision of the San Mateo County Harbor District, especially as it appears to have been influenced in part by an inaccurate depiction of what our company is all about. MSV is not some faceless corporate behemoth. We are a passionate group of individuals committed to protecting this special place, and furthering the interests of the community that calls it home. Because we care about Mavericks, we'd like to set the record straight. We'd like to tell you exactly who we are, and what we do.

We brought big-wave contest surfing back to Half Moon Bay.

Created in 2003, our company first held The Mavericks Surf Contest® in March, 2004, filling a void that had existed for three years. We have grown the Contest each succeeding year at great expense, and through the tireless efforts of literally hundreds of people. It's an investment we're happy to make, though, as it not only pays dividends for the Contest and the Mavericks™ brand, it enhances the overall image of the sport of big-wave surfing. The Contest also generates much-needed revenues for the community, and for the agencies and vendors who support the event. It also serves to educate the public about, and bring positive attention to, Mavericks and the greater Coastside community.

We support the competitors.

Nobody embodies the spirit of Mavericks like the extraordinarily brave souls who paddle out to challenge the Wave, and since our founding, we have worked hard to give them the exposure and rewards they so richly deserve. Some of the ways in which we promote the careers of the Contest competitors:

  • Each year, The Mavericks Surf Contest® is viewed by millions of fans all over the world via webcasts, television shows, and video highlights, providing these talented athletes with a large stage on which to perform. The exposure has allowed many competitors to parlay their success at the Contest into major, life-changing sponsorship deals.
  • We have hired competitors to provide commentary on our webcasts and to help produce our annual Contest highlights television show and DVD.
  • We have encouraged Contest sponsors to support the competitors individually as sponsored riders, brand ambassadors, and participants in paid activation programs.
  • We have paid some of the competitors well-deserved appearance fees for attending sponsor events.
  • This past season, with the support of Mavericks Surf Contest® sponsors, we offered up the richest prize purse in the history of big-wave surfing contests.

Finally, out of a profound respect for the competitors, we took the extraordinary step of democratizing the Contest last season by giving the surfers the full power to determine whether and when to call the Contest. The surfers exercised that franchise, ultimately deciding to call the event for February 13. This was unprecedented; we're not aware of any other event—surfing or otherwise—that empowers its competitors in this way.

We protect the environment.

As MSV's Enviro-Manager and big-wave surfer Joao de Macedo says, "Respecting and defending Mother Earth means being active in our backyard while also passing on that message to the world." Toward that end, we have worked hard over the years to spread a message of respect for the environment. Some of our accomplishments:

  • Ours was the world's first carbon-neutral surf contest.
  • On Contest day in 2008, MSV's onsite educational efforts paid off, as about 50,000 fans ultimately generated only 20 bags of landfill garbage. Clif Bar won an award from the EPA that season, in part for its work with MSV on our carbon-neutral initiative.
  • We used cutting-edge solar technologies to power onsite Contest operations in 2009/2010.
  • Last season, we launched a live webcast viewed by roughly one million people, dramatically reducing foot traffic at the Contest site.
  • MSV staffers regularly visit local schools to talk about the science of Mavericks, and the importance of protecting the ocean and being environmentally conscientious.

We boost the local economy.

We have worked hard over the years to ensure that the event remains a positive force for the Coastside community and its local businesses. The Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce regularly points to our Contest as the single day event with the greatest positive impact on the Half Moon Bay economy. We're proud of that. Save the Waves, Stanford and the University of Hawai'i recently published a study reporting that Mavericks visitors contribute about $25 million annually to the local economy.

We improve public safety.

We are proud that the National Incident Management System (NIMS) has been developed on the Coastside as a direct result of our years of producing the Contest. This system is invaluable to the health and welfare of coastal residents in the event of a natural disaster or incident. The response to the wave incident on February 13th tested the system's strength, and the coordination of the agencies and the event producers. The NIMS team's response to the wave incident was efficient, effective and immediate. Now successfully tested, the NIMS is in place to assist all coastal residents whenever needed.

We promote sustainability.

A team run by Abe Paskowitz—industry veteran and scion of surfing's "first family"—has developed a sustainability emphasis with our Mavericks™ apparel brand. Our gear includes tees made from organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles, hoodies made from recycled scraps, sandals made from recycled motorbike tires, and messenger bags made with zero manufacturing waste. From the beginning, our goal has been to grow our apparel brand the "right way," giving core retail surf shops precedence and driving business to those stores.

We just want to set the record straight.

We have a tremendous amount of personal respect and admiration for a number of the people involved with the group hoping to produce a surfing event at Mavericks this season. And we genuinely love the idea of embracing the local community and further empowering the surfers. That's been our mission all along. Because of our efforts these last seven years, more people around the world now know about this special place called Mavericks, and the athletes who compete here. The environment has benefited. The local economy has prospered.

While our company owns a bundle of legal rights associated with Mavericks™ and The Mavericks Surf Contest® that must be respected, ultimately, this isn't about "us" versus "them." After all, we all want what's best for Mavericks. As for MSV, we're looking forward to being part of the community, and the conversation, for a long time to come.

Thanks for listening,

Mavericks Surf Ventures