Jeff Clark to step down as Mavericks contest director

Jeff Clark has stepped down as the director of the Mavericks big wave surf contest, reports the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

He will no longer be charged with the task of surveying weather conditions, swells and tides and deciding whether they will ultimately combine to create contest-worthy waves.

"Maverick’s truly belongs to everyone, so we’re looking forward to democratizing the contest direction process," Keir Beadling, CEO for contest organizer Mavericks Surf Ventures, said in a statement. "Studying the seasonal swell patterns and when to call the surfers is no small responsibility. We’re excited to pass the torch to the next generation of Maverick’s enthusiasts to assure the contest’s continued success."

Clark recently underwent a procedure to take care of chronic hip problems he believes were caused by surfing and asked Maverick’s fans to help foot the $30,000 bill. Whether Clark chose to step down is unclear. Clark could not be reached to comment Monday.

Reached via e-mail Monday, Beadling could not say whether a single person or a group would replace Clark as contest director, nor if the director would continue to have the final say on whether the contest could be run. He said the contestants will be key in deciding the future of the position.