Mavericks Invitational organizers are preparing for the 2012 winter season, which started on November 9, 2012, with the traditional Opening Ceremony and Paddle Out. The season runs through March 31, 2013. The actual contest day happens when wave height and weather conditions are perfect, and organizers make “the call” to hold the contest with 24-hour notice.

Held at the legendary Mavericks surf break located just offshore Pillar Point Harbor, just north of Half Moon Bay, and 20 minutes south of San Francisco, The Mavericks Invitational is a one-day, invitation-only surfing competition and the world’s premier, big wave surfing event. It is now part of the Big Wave World Tour.

After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet and there’s even a claim that November 21, 2001 was a “100-foot Wednesday.” The Mavericks big-wave break, called a “voodoo wave” by Surfer magazine in 1992 is caused by an unusually-shaped underwater rock formation. Very few riders become big wave surfers; and of those, only a select few are willing to risk the hazardous conditions at Maverick’s.

This year, GoPro has signed on as the presenting sponsor. GoPro, maker of one of the world’s most versatile cameras which has produced some of today’s most engaging content, has made a two-year commitment to the contest.

The association with BWWT allows those surfers who are part of the tour to use their performance at Mavericks as part of their overall scoring for the season. The 24 most daring big-wave surfers in the world attempt to tame the massive swells on the biggest and best day of the 2012 winter season.

Below is the list of invitees. For additional details and to register for contest alerts, visit MavericksInvitational.com.

THE COMPETITORS:

1. Matt Ambrose (Pacifica, CA)
2. Ryan Augenstein (Santa Cruz, CA)
3. Grant “Twiggy” Baker (South Africa)
4. Chris Bertish (South Africa)
5. Carlos Burle (Brazil)
6. Ken “Skindog” Collins (Santa Cruz, CA)
7. Shane Desmond (Santa Cruz, CA)
8. Shawn Dollar (Santa Cruz, CA)
9. Shane Dorian (Hawaii)
10. Nathan Fletcher (San Clemente, CA)
11. Mark Healey (Hawaii)
12. Rusty Long (San Clemente, CA)
13. Greg Long (San Clemente, CA)
14. Alex Martins (Brazil)
15. Peter Mel (Santa Cruz, CA)
16. Ryan Seelbach (San Francisco, CA)
17. Kelly Slater (Florida)
18. Tyler Smith (Santa Cruz, CA)
19. Jamie Sterling (Hawaii)
20. Anthony Tashnick (Santa Cruz, CA)
21. Grant Washburn (San Francisco, CA)
22. Dave Wassel (Hawaii)
23. Ben Wilkinson (Australia)
24. Zach Wormhoudt (Santa Cruz, CA)

THE ALTERNATES:

1. Tyler Fox (Santa Cruz)
2. Josh Loya (Santa Cruz)
3. Colin Dwyer (Pacifica)
4. Nic Lamb (Santa Cruz)
5. Danilo Couto (Brazil)
6. Derek Dunfee (San Diego)
7. Ben Andrews (San Francisco)
8. Andrew Marr (South Africa)
9. Travis Payne (Pacifica)
10. Ion Banner (Half Moon Bay)
11. Kohl Christensen (Hawaii)
12. Shawn Rhodes (Pacifica)
13. Mike Gerhardt (Santa Cruz)
14. Garret McNamara (Hawaii)
15. Russel Smith (Santa Cruz)
16. Jamie Mitchel (Australia)
17. Frank Solomon (South Africa)