Source: SF Gate (HALF MOON BAY) - The Mavericks surf competition is on for Saturday, organizers said today.
The 24 surfers invited to take part in the contest off Pillar Point north of Half Moon Bay voted via e-mail to hold the event. National Weather Service forecasters are predicting warm, clear skies Saturday and "higher than normal" surf. The surfers had rejected several possible dates since the window to hold the competition opened Nov. 1. Organizers had said Mavericks could be held anytime before March 31.
The event starts at 8 a.m. It will be Webcast at maverickssurf.com, and an interactive Webcast will be shown on Facebook and Ustream.
In addition, the competition will be shown on the scoreboard video screen at AT&T Park. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Last year, I had the pleasure of attending the premier of Ultramarathon Man, a truly inspiring documentary featuring the LA native, Dean Karnazes. On November 5th, 2006, Dean successfully completed one of his greatest tests of endurance, 50 Marathons in 50 Consecutive Days in 50 States. Ironically, it just so happens that his family comes from the same Greek village of the legedary hero Pheidippides, who ran 150 miles to announce the Greek victory over Persia in 490 BC. Dean is a modern day hero who bursts with love and encouragement wherever he goes.
Prior to the film's screening, Dean spoke of the importance of loving what you do as well as the need for kids to get more active. He also dedicated the premier to another hero, my dear friend and soul brother David Ames, who peacefully passed on July 16th 2008, after corageously living with ALS aka Lou Gherig's disease over the last 5 years. David and Dean were friends and running buddies here in the SF Bay Area prior to David's diagnosis. You can see David in this preview clip of Ultramarathon Man being pushed across the Golden Gate Bridge in marathon #17 and you can read the beautiful story in a chapter of Dean's most recent book, 50/50.
Before leaving the premier, I thanked Dean for inspiring so many people and (half-joking) asked him where he planned on running the next morning. He mentioned that he would be running in the city (most likely in preparation for the SF marathon which took place that weekend.)
I admit that after watching the film, I became extremely fired up to take a run, but I decided to wait until the next day as it was 11pm by the time I got home. By chance, at about 7:15 the next morning, I was driving north on the 101 from Sausalito and spotted Dean pacing along on a Marin county trail. By the time I picked up my am coffee a mile down the road, he caught up and crossed my path. After I called his name, he ran up to my car and popped his head in. I smiled and said, I beat you!
Since that morning over a year ago, I have kept up running (almost daily) and it's become impossible not to think about Dean every single time I head out. By observing Dean, I truly learned the value of slowing down and pacing myself not only with respect to running, but throughout every part of life.
