The standoff between Maverick's pioneer Jeff Clark and the company he helped form in 2003 to promote and merchandise the annual big-wave surfing contest showed no sign of reconciliation this week. In fact, the story turned even more, well, maverick-y. Clark still insists he was "ousted" as contest director of the event he has headed since 1999, while Maverick's Surf Ventures CEO Kier Beadling clarified his company's earlier press release statement (June 24) that the event will "inaugurate a new Contest Director." Expanding that point via telephone this week Beadling said Clark's "personal services contract" had been terminated because he "wasn't living up to its terms and obligations." Those included being contest director and the Mavericks "brand ambassador." Beadling declined to be more specific about reasons for the termination, but he added that contrary to the press release's assertion that Clark would remain on the privately-held company's board of directors, Clark had subsequently made his own decision to step down.
