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Surf's up this weekend off the coast of Half Moon Bay, as officials have declared Sunday game day for the Mavericks Invitational, a world-renowned big-wave surf contest.

This is a big deal for the coast, as it has not held a Mavericks contest since 2010 because Mother Nature failed to produce ideal conditions.

"We're really excited that we actually have a swell," contest co-founder Jeff Clark said. "This is the biggest swell we've had for a couple years."

This weekend's event will bring to coastal shores 24 expert surfers and a ton of fanfare. The two dozen chosen surfers are those deemed most skilled from around the world. The contest is held a half-mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay at the Mavericks break.

Contest conditions are extreme, with waves in past years as high as 50 feet, strong currents, frigid water and jagged rocks. Clark said the conditions are extremely dangerous, and the surfers put to good use their year-round training regimens.

When asked how high the waves from this swell will be, Clark immediately responded "big."

"We're hoping for at least 30-foot range, but the ocean does what it wants and it's not going to give you that perfect storm every year," he said.

For more information about the event, go to www.maverickssurf.com.

— Bay City News Service

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