It’s official, the 2009/2010 Maverick’s Surf Contest has received the green light to run this upcoming Saturday, Feb. 13. After what’s definitely been a big-wave season to remember, there’s yet another northwest swell looming on the horizon, and it’s looking prime for Maverick’s.

“Mother Nature is smiling once again on Maverick’s,” reads a post on the contest’s Twitter page. “The 24 have voted and we are a go for Saturday.”

“I’m heading up tomorrow with Greg [Long] and the boys,” reports the intrepid Jason Murray, who will be covering the event for us with both his lens and his charming wit. “There’s a touch of west in this swell, which helps the place out. They waited a long time to run, and passed on some good opportunities, but this weekend there’s definitely going to be something to see out there.”

Murray touches down in San Francisco mid-day tomorrow and is hoping to get out to Half Moon Bay in time to catch the “warm-up session,” as well as dig up any dirt about the impending event. Unless he gets mauled by a Great White, he’s planning on dropping a little pre-contest insight tomorrow evening, and then he’ll be all over the contest on Saturday, so stay tuned. It’s game on at Maverick’s … finally.

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Since the addition of the Billabong Girls Best Overall Performance Award in 2004, the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards have showcased the best rides of the year by women right alongside the men. But with this year’s big wave season nearing its climax, the number of entries coming into XXL headquarters has shattered all past records in terms of total entries and number of surfers involved, forcing organizers to add a dedicated section to the event website. All the entries can be seen by clicking here: http://billabongxxl.com/girls%5Fperformance/

Since its inception, the female category has had only two winners: Jamilah Star of Santa Cruz, California, USA, who won the first two years; and Maya Gabeira of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who has won the last three times.

And while that pair of past champions are in the mix once again (including Gabeira at Tahiti’s Teahupoo and Star at Puerto Escondido, Mexico), they are joined by a record number of women pushing the limits of big wave surfing around the world. The entries run the gamut from Layne Beachley’s deep tube at “Ours” in Australia to Savannah Shaugnessey at Mavericks, Mercedes Maidana in Chile and tons of Hawaiian action, including Keala Kennelly, Andrea Moller and Paige Alms at Maui’s legendary Jaws (Pe’ahi). Also impressive is a ride at that break by Kauai’s Bethany Hamilton, the inspirational young surfer who lost an arm to a shark — but clearly proves that taking on a tow rope is well within her remarkable capabilities. To see Hamilton’s ride (or embed it on your website), see the YouTube version here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxKGkjmJkFQ

To see more on the women (and add your own comments), join the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards Facebook Fan Page at
http://www.facebook.com/GLOBALBIGWAVEAWARDS

EVENT SITE MAIN PAGE: www.BillabongXXL.com
Direct links to girls video: http://billabongxxl.com/girls_performance/vid_viewer/vid_index.html
Direct link to girls photos: http://billabongxxl.com/girls_performance/

Mick Fanning (above)

With the World Tour moving to a “one-world” ranking system, the recent dismissal of head judge Perry Hatchet, and now the announcement of a pro junior tour, the ASP’s definitely been undergoing a metamorphosis this offseason. And while the inner workings of the tour are being tinkered with, some of the surfers are noodling with their own game.

For the last week a crew that includes world champ Mick Fanning, Jordy Smith, Michel Bourez, Sofia Mulanovich, and Sally Fitzgibbons, to name a few, have been posted up in Lennox Head, NSW, for Red Bull’s inaugural “Project Air.” As it’s title would indicate, the first-of-its-kind training camp is solely dedicated to helping hone their above-the-lip prowess.

“I’m psyched, the future of surfing is definitely going to be more about fully, functional aerials and functional air combinations,” said Jordy on the first day.

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