Dangers could wipe out Mavericks spectators permanently
Half Moon Bay Review: Thursday, Feb 18, 2010: By Greg Thomas
Renowned as a milestone in paddle-in big-wave surfing, the 2010 Mavericks Surf Contest is being overshadowed in the minds of many by a moment of pandemonium on the beach that landed three people in the hospital.
More than a dozen people were injured when a wave propelled by the peak swell during high tide washed over the beach at the southwest corner of Pillar Point, wiping out about two-dozen spectators and thousands of dollars worth of contest infrastructure. Three people were transported to Seton Medical Center in Daly City for what officials at the scene said were broken bones, and several others were treated on the beach for minor injuries — mostly cuts and bruises.
The water charged underneath scaffolding propping announcers and television equipment, and decimated the competitors’ tent and awards ceremony stage. Tech operators hauling away burnt out amplifiers from the flood zone said the busted sound system cost roughly $60,000 — $10,000 more than the first-place prize purse. Spectators crowding around the JumboTron screen were left without an announcer’s narrative for most of the show.
It’s not the first time contest watchers have been left battered and bruised.
The 2006 contest was a rough one for spectators. One woman on the beach was hit on the head by a falling rock and landed in the Intensive Care Unit at Stanford Medical Center, where she underwent multiple brain surgeries. She sued Mavericks Surf Ventures for neglecting to warn people of the imminent dangers at the beach. Mavericks Surf Ventures CEO Keir Beadling says the case was dismissed.
The same year a Pillar Point Harbor patrol officer suffered a broken jaw and lost teeth when the mighty swell launched a patrol boat into the air and it slammed down on the surface of the water.
Noting the safety issues and the environmental impact of thousands of feet trampling the area, Mavericks Surf Ventures makes a point of discouraging people from attending in its contest announcements. To keep people at bay, the company broadcasts the event live over the Web and at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
This sequence shows an unexpected wave that rolled all the way onshore shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday at Mavericks beach. More than a dozen people were injured, including three who had to be transported to a Peninsula hospital with broken bones. Many caught in the deluge reported damaged cameras, lost wallets and other annoyances.
Half Moon Bay surf instructor Dave Alexander knows Mavericks well. He says the treacherous terrain, powerful waves and limited space make for an inherently unsafe experience for onlookers.
“The thing about it is it’s not like other surf venues. … It’s not a good place to watch, period,” said Alexander, employed during the contest as the Mavericks beach marshal.
That didn’t stop visitors traveling from far and wide, each hoping to catch a glimpse of the action.
“Even if you can’t see it, it’s the allure,” said San Franciscan Lisa Tilch, who drove the 30 miles to Mavericks Saturday afternoon.
Authorities responsible for supervising public safety at the event say they’ll meet in the next couple of weeks to discuss access to Pillar Point during future contests. Officials who coordinate contest planning sit down together at meetings for several months leading up to the contest, and for the past six years have followed up with a debriefing afterward.
Each contest is a learning experience, they say. Unforeseen accidents render tighter restrictions and more advanced protocols.
“Our safety plans continue to evolve,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon. “I think we’ll have to take a look at how to readjust to provide a great contest with maximum safety.”
On Saturday, officials were present, signs were posted and people were explicitly warned about the perils of standing where the wave did its damage. “Humans will be humans,” said Alexander, who characterized the incident as a “common sense issue.”
“People don’t listen. … I was telling people to get out of there, but then they’d go right back to where they were before,” Alexander said.
County Sheriff’s Lt. Ken Jones described keeping people off the bluffs as similarly challenging, if not impossible.
“You’re limited to what you can do,” said Jones, who commanded about 70 deputies and volunteers at the contest. “There’s 20,000 people out there. We’re outnumbered. You’re trying to close the beach for everyone’s safety but you can’t stop the people — there’s too many of them.”
A handful of waves inundated the same spot Saturday morning before causing injuries. Each time spectators would scatter, then they’d return.
To avoid confusion and similar accidents, county officials say they are considering closing off most of the prime viewing spots during future contests.
“It is something we will look at ... I don’t know what is fully possible both legally and logistically, and we’ll have to look at both of those elements,” Gordon said.
In a prepared statement, Mavericks Surf Ventures CEO Keir Beadling said decisions about managing the contest will emerge after officials and contest coordinators begin the series of sit-downs to talk about Mavericks 2010-2011.
“Let’s hope that our event can help reinforce the imperative of always exercising caution and respecting the ocean’s power,” Beadling said. “When our team has had an opportunity to information-gather and debrief on our event, then, and only then, will we have any updates as to what we’ll be doing for next season.”
“The thing about it is it’s not like other surf venues. … It’s not a good place to watch, period,” said Alexander, employed during the contest as the Mavericks beach marshal.
That didn’t stop visitors traveling from far and wide, each hoping to catch a glimpse of the action.
“Even if you can’t see it, it’s the allure,” said San Franciscan Lisa Tilch, who drove the 30 miles to Mavericks Saturday afternoon.
Authorities responsible for supervising public safety at the event say they’ll meet in the next couple of weeks to discuss access to Pillar Point during future contests. Officials who coordinate contest planning sit down together at meetings for several months leading up to the contest, and for the past six years have followed up with a debriefing afterward.
Each contest is a learning experience, they say. Unforeseen accidents render tighter restrictions and more advanced protocols.
“Our safety plans continue to evolve,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon. “I think we’ll have to take a look at how to readjust to provide a great contest with maximum safety.”
On Saturday, officials were present, signs were posted and people were explicitly warned about the perils of standing where the wave did its damage. “Humans will be humans,” said Alexander, who characterized the incident as a “common sense issue.”
“People don’t listen. … I was telling people to get out of there, but then they’d go right back to where they were before,” Alexander said.
County Sheriff’s Lt. Ken Jones described keeping people off the bluffs as similarly challenging, if not impossible.
“You’re limited to what you can do,” said Jones, who commanded about 70 deputies and volunteers at the contest. “There’s 20,000 people out there. We’re outnumbered. You’re trying to close the beach for everyone’s safety but you can’t stop the people — there’s too many of them.”
A handful of waves inundated the same spot Saturday morning before causing injuries. Each time spectators would scatter, then they’d return.
To avoid confusion and similar accidents, county officials say they are considering closing off most of the prime viewing spots during future contests.
“It is something we will look at ... I don’t know what is fully possible both legally and logistically, and we’ll have to look at both of those elements,” Gordon said.
In a prepared statement, Mavericks Surf Ventures CEO Keir Beadling said decisions about managing the contest will emerge after officials and contest coordinators begin the series of sit-downs to talk about Mavericks 2010-2011.
“Let’s hope that our event can help reinforce the imperative of always exercising caution and respecting the ocean’s power,” Beadling said. “When our team has had an opportunity to information-gather and debrief on our event, then, and only then, will we have any updates as to what we’ll be doing for next season.”
Rock slide victims sue contest organizers
Half Moon Bay Review: Wednesday, Dec 20, 2006: by Nick Casey
Promoters of the Mavericks Surf Contest have been hit with a civil lawsuit from a mother and son injured by falling rocks at the last contest, held in February.
The suit, filed on Dec. 13 against Mavericks Surf Ventures, LLC, Evolve Sport Management, LLC, and contest founder Jeff Clark, seeks compensation for injuries suffered by Diana Rivers and her 10-year-old son. The two were struck by falling rocks on Feb. 7 as they stood under the cliffs near Pillar Point Air Force Station.
Rivers, then 39, was transported first by ambulance and then airlifted to Stanford Hospital where she was treated for serious head injuries. Her son was also treated there for back pain.
Keir Beadling, speaking for Mavericks Surf Ventures, said he had not yet seen the complaint.
"We feel for the Rivers family and it was a terrible accident," he said. "But we've always regarded safety issues with the utmost importance. All managers have taken and will be taking all measures necessary to provide a safe contest for surfers and visitors."
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