No Mavericks for 2007

Mavericks organizers have called off this year’s contest, allowing the window to close with no contest and no extension, reports the Chronicle. This is the third time the contest has been cancelled since it was begun in 1999.

Despite the impending cancellation of this year’s event, a post-contest party, a big-wave documentary and a series of Maverick’s-themed concerts are expected, said Doug Epstein, one of the three principals for the event producer, Mavericks Surf Ventures LLC.

"What we want to do is to say thank you to fans, sponsors, volunteers and all those who put a portion of their lives on hold while waiting for the event," Epstein said Thursday. "We’ll do a celebration, probably a closing ceremony for the surfers. A public party is under discussion."

Epstein said his firm will make a final call on Saturday. But conditions don’t look promising. The North Pacific is a swirl of chaos and southerly swells of summer are expected to arrive next week.

Because the waves were suitable for the event back in December, there is some interest in opening the window in late 2007.