Looking ahead to an El Niño winter and the anticipation of big waves early in the season, the organizers of the Mavericks Invitational big wave surf contest are opening the contest season on November 9, 2012.

Following the approval of the permit by the San Mateo County Harbor District on July 18, the organizers kicked into high gear the planning for this year’s famed big wave surfing contest off Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay. The contest waiting period is officially November 9, 2012, through March 31, 2013.

“It looks like we’re headed for an early winter, and we want to take advantage of the big swells in November,” said Mavericks Pioneer Jeff Clark, part of a group of business and community leaders organizing the event. “The surfers are ready, the community is ready, and we are stoked to make this amazing event happen this year.”

A lackluster season last year saw no contest at Mavericks, nor in Hawaii and Oregon, leaving many of the surfers searching for massive waves in other parts of the world. Fortunately, the competitor list for this year’s event will still hold fast, and the original 24 invitees and the alternates are expected back for an amazing year.