This year’s Titans of Mavericks big wave surf contest appears to be in rough waters.
Contest organizers Cartel Management Inc. and Titans of Mavericks LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday according to a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The filing was first reported by NBC Bay Area.
In addition, the Sentinel has learned those same companies are being sued by Red Bull Media House North America for breach of contract and unjust enrichment, among other complaints. Red Bull Media, which had been contracted to provide live streaming of the contest, filed its suit with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles on Friday.
In regards to the bankruptcy filing, Cartel founder Griffin Guess told the San Jose Mercury News late Tuesday night that he has prepared a news release for Wednesday morning that “will be helpful with understanding the strategy overall.” Guess said he could not elaborate but promised the move will make more sense once fully explained.
Last October, Cartel and supermodel Marisa Miller, Guess’ wife who attended Monte Vista Christian School, were ordered to pay $1 million for breach of contract with a sunless tanning company. Cartel, which is Miller’s management company, is on the hook for $700,000 of that sum.
One of the debtors named in the bankruptcy filing was the San Mateo County Harbor District, which issued to Cartel one of several permits needed to host a big wave surf contest at Maverick’s.
As of early Wednesday morning, Red Bull TV was still listed on the Titans of Mavericks website as the livestream partner for the contest, to be held anytime conditions are right between Nov. 1 and March 31 at the break near the Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay. On Tuesday, San Mateo County Harbor commissioner Sabrina Brennan — who was at the center of the push to add a women’s heat to the contest — told NBC Bay Area she doesn’t expect the call to come this year.
“I’m disappointed, and a lot of other people in the surfing community, surfers and fans, will be as well,” Brennan said. “A lot of surfers, men and women, worked very hard to get ready for this contest. It’s a real letdown to hear about these financial problems.”
Cartel reshaped the contest last year by offering more prize money than previous events. Organizers also made it a digital media event, discouraging fans from coming to the break because no beach access is allowed during the contest. Contestants gave Cartel rave reviews.
This year’s event is highly anticipated with the addition of a women’s field for the first time. The hour-long heat is supposed to feature six top women, including Bianca Valenti of San Francisco and Jamila Star of Santa Cruz.
A swell that brought waves of up to 35 feet on Thursday also brought many of the 30 invitees but no contest call. After spending five hours at the break that day, Valenti said she hoped to advance women’s surfing by getting the chance to compete in the popular contest. A $30,000 purse has been announced for the women’s heat. No purse has been announced for the main event.
Contests have been held at Maverick’s since 1999, but only when conditions are ideal: clear, calm weather and swells bringing wave faces of 25 feet or higher. Nic Lamb of Santa Cruz won last year’s invitation-only event.
Elliott Almond of the Bay Area News Group contributed to this article.
