HALF MOON BAY -- A 24-year-old California surfer won Saturday's big-wave surf contest off the Northern California coast.
Greg Long of San Clemente was named the winner of the Mavericks surf contest after competing in the all-day event against 23 other elite surfers.
Long and his fellow surfers were whisked out on jetskis to conquer the giant storm-generated swells about a half-mile offshore from Pillar Point Harbor, about 20 miles south of San Francisco.
Some waves towered more than three-stories tall.
Thousands of surf fans gathered on cliffs and beaches to watch the contest, which was also broadcast live at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Grant "Twiggy" Baker of South Africa came in second and Jamie Sterling of Hawaii came in third.
The top six winners will share a $75,000 purse.
For more on this story, read Sunday's Bee sports section.
