The surfing community was reeling Wednesday after hearing the world-renowned Titans of Mavericks big-wave surf contest may be in jeopardy.
Organizers of the contest filed for bankruptcy Tuesday and left a lot of surfers and fans upset and worried.
Surfers at Mavericks were applying the same attitude they use when competing: When you get knocked down, get up and go back out again. Most were trying to remain optimistic but accepted the fact that the contest is probably wiped out for this year.
Grant Washburn, who has competed at Mavericks for the past dozen years or so, said he was stunned but acknowledged many surfers felt Cartel management, one of the bankrupt entities, was in over its head.
"I mean, yeah, it sucks," he said. "It sucks for the whole sport. I mean, what are you gonna say? How can it be good? So it's unfortunate. I know a lot of people are trying really hard to make it work. It's just not working.
"The place is really special," Washburn added. "It's such a neat area, and the sport is very intense. So it's disrespectful to the rest of the world, and the universe, to not do it right if you're gonna do it."
Bianca Valenti also was surprised and a little sad. She wanted to make history in the contest's first-ever heat for women.
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"Personally, I would have loved to be a part of it, obviously, and to try to win it," she said.
One of the contest's local organizers, Brian Overfelt, who owns of the popular Princeton Landing restaurant, said Cartel's bankruptcy came without warning.
"Completely blindsided," he said. "Had no idea anything was happening. I'm also very sad that other people's personal financial situations are spilling over into our community event."
San Mateo County Harbor commissioner Sabrina Brennan said former sponsor Red Bull's latest action is probably the final blow.
"Since Red Bull is now engaged in a lawsuit against Cartel, it just doesn't seem plausible that they're going to be able to have the event," she said.
In a statement, Cartel Management confirmed an asset sale as part of its bankruptcy procedure, but the company declined to specify the assets or what it plans to do about the contest.
The contest window closes March 31.
