POST Partners with Mavericks Surf Contest®
January 20, 2006
The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced today that it is an official environmental partner of the Mavericks Surf Contest® presented by Verizon Wireless. The 2006 Contest, which takes place off the coast of Half Moon Bay between January 1 and March 31, brings together 24 of the world's best big-wave surfers on just 24 hours notice.
"The Mavericks Surf Contest® is a world-class event that brings thousands of people to the coast each year, to areas where POST has saved thousands of acres of land through its Saving the Endangered Coast campaign," said POST President Audrey Rust. "As we continue to work to protect the San Mateo Coast, spectators will be able to enjoy the event from viewpoints surrounded by POST-protected properties. We are delighted that fans can enjoy this breathtaking stretch of California coastline as they watch the surfers take on the incredible waves at Mavericks."
The annual competition takes place at the Mavericks surf break, approximately half a mile off the coast of Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay. Last year, 30,000 people made the trek to the coast to stare in awe at athletes riding monster waves cresting at almost 50 feet.
"As we bring this event together, we are fortunate to partner with POST, which has worked hard to protect and maintain the pristine beauty of the cliffs and beaches near Half Moon Bay and along the entire San Mateo Coast," said Douglas Epstein, a partner with Mavericks Surf Ventures, which produces the Contest. "It's a dramatic setting for a dramatic competition."
The Contest takes place near several major POST properties, including 119-acre Pillar Point Bluff, which POST acquired for protection in August 2004 as part of its Saving the Endangered Coast campaign, a historic effort that raised more than $200 million for land protection along the San Mateo Coast.
The 2006 Mavericks Surf Contest® presented by Verizon Wireless will be the world's first "climate-neutral" surfing competition thanks to a ground-breaking partnership with Clif Bar & Company. The Contest also enjoys the support of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), within which the Contest takes place, and the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS), which has management responsibilities for the northern portion of the Monterey sanctuary, including Mavericks and adjacent waters. Additional partners and supporters that work to ensure that the ocean, beach and surrounding areas are protected include the San Mateo County Harbor District, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and Save the Waves.