Crowd hurt in Mavs Carnage

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Commentators nervously watched heat one, not because of the huge 30 foot bombs breaking out at the reef, but because of rumbling waves of white water surging beneath their teetering platform.

At one point, with the event barely an hour old at just after 9am, two large "infragravity" waves slammed into the densely packed crowd, knocking over boards, tables and chairs, sending food boxes and spectators flying.

According to KCBS, the California Radio Station, ambulances were called in to treat the injured and the beach was also closed off to spectators. Three were taken to Seton Medical Center and were listed in stable condition.

"People have been treated for injuries, with at least two lower leg fractures. The leader board and speakers have been lost to the surf, and people have also lost cameras and backpacks. The video screen is still up and running. But, there is no audio to announce which surfer is on the waves."

According to respected oceanographer Tony Butt, "infragravity waves are long surges that come in at the shoreline, like mini-tsunamis, waves with periods of 30 to 300 seconds. You always get them in big surf when the main waves break out the back."

Twitter and Facebook were alive with realtime accounts of the drama. Organisers urged people go home to watch the live webcast.

Organisers have apologised for the sluggish behaviour of the event website, which pretty much broke down under the overwhelming surge in traffic.

However, fortunately UStream provided a live feed of the action. By 2pm, as the semis began, the stream was registering 35,000 viewers, and climbing steadily. By 2.02pm, it was on 36,800 and climbing.

Twiggy Baker made it to the first semi, with Chris Bertish also through.

The contest has not run for two of the last three years, after messy winter weather for one and then strangle flat seas last winter.

Jeff Clark, the pioneer of Mavericks who founded the orginal event, is caught up in an acrimonious spat with the organisers.

Clark is not part of the contest for the first time in its 11-year-history - a tough pill to swallow. According to KCBS, "he accuses Mavericks Surf Ventures Inc. of selling out the contest for commercial gain. Mavericks chief executive Keir Beadling counters that the allegations in his lawsuit are "completely false."