Massive waves, but no Mavericks contest due to Super Bowl

MAVERICKS (KTVU) - Despite massive waves at Mavericks there will not be a competition this weekend. 

According to organizers, the contest can't be called because law enforcement, including the coast guard and sheriff's office would be stretched too thin for the Super Bowl. 

Contest organizers and surfers have worried that the big waves would come the weekend that they couldn't have the contest.

Jeff Clark founded the Mavericks surfing contest in 1998. He says Thursday's conditions would have been ideal for what he calls the “Super Bowl of surfing”.

"It's just jaw dropping," said Clark about the giant waves," It was massive. It was so good."

Waves up to 50 feet and light winds set the stage for what would have been the perfect day to hold the Mavericks contest.

"The conditions today were probably in the top 10 that you have ever seen at Mavericks. It was that good," said Clark.

Others agreed. 

"It was just big and perfect. It was just the day of days," said Cameron Faris, a surfer from Huntington Beach.

"We wait all year for that competition. It's not a good thing, but I understand," said Marcia Linwood of Half Moon Bay.

"If it weren't for the blackout, today, [it] would have been one of the all-time contests ever, " said Clark, "Just keep our fingers cross and hope we get another one like that like today."

The window for the competition is open from November 1st through March 31st. 

The contest was not held last year because the waves were not big enough. In fact the last time conditions were favorable for the competition was two years ago. 

Mavericks is located just north of Half Moon Bay