Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing pays tribute to 50 years of competitive surfing at Huntington Beach Pier

If it’s July, it’s time to pull out the board shorts and head down to the HB Pier. The nine-day event, known as the U.S. Open of Surfing, returns to Huntington Beach (“Surf City, USA”) July 18 to 26, 2009. This is the mother of North American action sports events; the Vegas of surfing with over 500,000 spectators, a host of entertainment stages, peripheral activities and tribes of hardcore fans who pack the sand to watch the competition.

The pier’s been the site of the extravaganza for 50 years now, starting with West Coast Surfing Championships (WCSC) and evolving to today. When the first comp took place in 1959 it quickly became the biggest surfing event in the country – if not the world. HB local Jack Haley won the first event while the legendary Linda Benson took women’s. And it marked the beginning of a long tradition of competitive drama along the 300-yard stretch known as the “South Side.”

In 1960, the women’s division was added to the Championships. Last year 14-year-old Malia Manuel became the youngest finalist ever at the US Open. Runner-up Coco Ho, 17, made it an all-Hawaiian final and a major statement that there’s a new generation in town.

This summer, Hurley takes the U.S. Open of Surfing to a new level, infusing a youthful attitude, elite athletes, fashion and music—all against the backdrop of 50 years of competitive surfing. The “Walk of Champions” pays tribute to this storied history with a special walkway dedicated to the “50 years at the pier” celebration. This will include a timeline with key dates and happenings, along with photos and a list of all the former champions.

The U.S. Open of Surfing boasts North America’s only six-star World Qualifying Series-rated men’s and women’s competitions, longboarding and men’s and women’s junior disciplines. As work crews snap together the last bleachers, and put the finishing touches on the nearby Tiki village, this year’s event promises to be as big and bad as ever.

Technically, the US Open is an all-access event. Just about anyone can get in, but the truth is that because of its high ratings on the circuit, a lot of Big Names surf this contest. It may not be Pipeline or Trestles but the world’s best show up.

Many of the world’s best female surfers are barely getting their driver’s licenses. Carissa Moore, last year’s champ Malia Manuel, Coco Ho, Sally Fitzgibbons…the list goes on. Which is why this year’s Girls Nike 6.0 Pro Junior will pack in all the drama and performance level of a major world tour event.

Halfway through the grueling season, 3000 points up for grabs and $4500 for first place in the women’s division. But most important, it’s that launch pad into the Bigs. Win here, and you’re on your way.

Nevermind that the hype doesn’t always match the waves. Summer in Huntington can mean mediocre surf near the famed pier. Sometimes it’s a surfers ability to perform in sub-par conditions that divides the groms from the pros. Maintaining speed, pulling tricks and destroying mid-sized waves takes real talent.

Whatever the conditions, the event has enough sideshows to keep it interesting. BMX bikers drop into a 13 foot deep kidney-shaped pool, FMX demos take place, DJs and live bands crank loud music, and dozens of sponsor tents promote new products to the massive crowds.

With all the local and international talent, anything can and does happen at this comp. The next superstar might easily emerge from the pack to become part of the U.S. Open’s  colorful and coveted history. So if you’re in SoCal at the end of the month, be sure to make it down. Should be fun.

Hawaiian teens take U.S. Open of Surfing

July, 26, 2008 - When we arrived at Huntington Beach for the women’s final event at the U.S. Open of Surfing, the place was packed. Not unusual for a Saturday in Surf City but something historic was taking place on the south side of the pier that made the day truly special.

Fourteen year old Malia Manuel defeated seventeen year old Coco Ho and the duo became the youngest finalists ever at the U.S. Open of Surfing.  In addition, both surfers hail from Hawaii, also a first for the final.

Manuel’s victory was surprising, even to her. She had never competed at the U.S. Open and never in a two-person heat. Manuel, who lives on the eastern side of Kauai, entered the event as a wild card because she had not competed in enough events this year to be seeded. She ended up as the youngest champion in ASP history.

When asked “What’s next?” after accepting her award, Manuel replied with excitment “10th grade!”

Manuel, who will turn 15 next month, claimed an early edge in the 30-minute final and made it stand up, winning with a best-two-wave score of 14.34 points. The wind kicked up in the finals and Ho struggled to find a groove in the deteriorating conditions finishing with a score of 7.90.

Ho’s father, Michael, and uncle, Derek, both legendary Hawaiian surfers, must have been proud. Even with her second-place finish, it was a day of accomplishments for the teenager, who also won the women’s junior championship making her the first competitor to be in both the women’s final and women’s junior final.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star event saw some incredible performances, but really none as impressive as the Hawaiian up and comers taking down some of the biggest names in professional surfing.

In an earlier quarterfinal, Manuel defeated defending U.S. Open Champion Sofia Mulanovich of Peru. Mulanovich, the 2004 world champion, had posted perfect tens in a prior heat. Ho then knocked off defending world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia in a semifinal. In the other seminfinal, Manual posted a dominant heat win over current ASP WQS ratings leader Sally Fitzgibbons en route to becoming the youngest U.S. Open Winner ever. 

The youth movment is alive and well.

Results:Final:
1 – Malia Manuel (HAW) 14.342 – Coco Ho (HAW) 7.90
Semifinals Results (1st advances)
Heat 1: Malia Manuel (HAW) 13.10 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 12.67 
Heat 2: Coco Ho (HAW) 10.83 def Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 6.83
Quarterfinals (1st advances)
Heat 1: Malia Manuel (HAW) 15.83 def. Sofia Mulanovich (USA) 13.10
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.00 def. Samantha Cornish (AUS) 1.60
Heat 3: Coco Ho (HAW) 12.00 def. Melanie Bartels (HAW) 8.23
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14.67 def. Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 9.17 

Peru’s Mulanovich scores perfect tens at US Open of Surfing

July 23, 2008 – Currently ranked number one in the world, Peruvian Sofia Mulanovich made a spectacular debut at this year’s Women’s Honda US Open of Surfing, which is being held this week in Surf City (aka Huntington Beach, California).

With a whopping 17.97 points in her first round, Mulanovich was ranked number one in her group and qualified for the next round of the competition, considered North America’s highest-rated qualifying event.

After being given 7.83 points on her first wave, the former world champ blew away the judges – two of which gave her a perfect 10 – with an amazing performance on her second wave.

The two perfect tens along with three other scores above 9.5 gave Mulanovich, who was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame last year, more than enough points to qualify for the next round.

Strong showings were also seen from Hawaiians Bethany Hamilton, Coco Ho, Megan Abudo and Melanie Bartels as well as Aussies Stephanie Gilmore, Samantha Cornish, and Sally Fitzgibbons.

Stephanie Gilmore Wins U.S. Open of Surfing 2007

Jul 29 2007 / Huntington Beach, CA
Stephanie Gilmore (Tweed Heads, AUS) has taken the 2007 Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill title, defeating Karina Petroni (Atlantic Beach, FL) with authority in front of a capacity crowd at Huntington Beach Pier. Read more