Locals will try their luck at U.S. Open of Surfing

Mike Sciacca

The world’s largest surfing competition, the Honda U.S. Open of

Surfing presented by O’Neill, will be held in Huntington Beach from

July 22 to July 31.

Among the contestants in this year’s event are Laguna Beach

professional surfers Mike Todd and Bron Heussenstamm.

World-class athletes from dozens of countries will compete over a

10-day period in five divisions of competition.

The event carries a $185,000 prize purse.

Todd is the 132nd seed in the men’s division, while Heussenstamm

is listed as an alternate.

“It’s pretty much the only real event we have here at home that

counts big-time,” Todd said. “It’s a huge event for all of us and

gives us the chance to do well in front of massive crowds, and our

sponsors basically will be watching this up close from their desks.”

The U.S. Open of Surfing anchors the Bank of the West Beach Games.

More than 600 athletes from around the globe will compete in surfing,

skateboarding, BMX and volleyball.

The U.S. Open of Surfing features a $125,000 men’s six-star World

Qualifying Series, a $30,000 women’s six-star WQS, a $10,000 O’Neill

U.S. Open of Longboarding and a $10,000 Lost Pro Junior.

Founded in 1959, the U.S. Open is North America’s highest-rated

qualifying event, the world’s largest and most heavily attended

professional surfing competition, and is its original action-sports

event.

Last year’s Bank of the West Games drew a record 300,000

spectators.

A few of the sport’s elite surfers schedule to compete for

division titles are former event and world champions Andy Irons

(Hawaii), Rob Machado (Cardiff), Sunny Garcia (Hawaii), Kelly Slater

(Florida) and Cory Lopez (Florida) on the men’s side, and Rochelle

Ballard (Hawaii), Holly Beck (Palos Verdes), Julia Christian

(Carlsbad) and Melanie Bartels (Hawaii) on the women’s side.

The early rounds of surfing begin on today and run through Sunday.

The $50,000 Philips Key Ring Soul Bowl, featuring several of the

world’s best skateboarders and BMX riders, will run July 29 through

Aug. 1.

THE SCHEDULE

Today

7 a.m.: Junior Men (round 120; heats 1-12) 11 a.m.: Junior Women (round 32; heats 1-8)

1:40 p.m.: Junior Men (round 96; heats 1-4)

Saturday

7 a.m.: Junior Men (round 96; heats 5-24)

7 a.m..: Longboard (round 48; heats 1-8)

9:40 a.m.: Longboard (round 32; heats 1-8)

12:20 p.m.: Junior Women (quarterfinals; heats 1-4)

1:40 p.m.: Junior Men (round 48, heats 1-4)

1:40 p.m.: Longboard (quarterfinals, heats 1-4)

Sunday

7 a.m.: Junior Women (semifinals)

7 a.m.: Junior Men (round 48; heats 5-12)

7:40 a.m.: Longboard (semifinals)

8:20 a.m. Men’s Trial (round 48; heats 1-8)

9:40 a.m.: Junior Men (round 24; heats 1-6)

11 a.m.: Men’s Trial (round 32; heats 1-8)

11:40 a.m.: Junior Men (round 12; heats 1-4)

1 p.m.: Junior Men (quarterfinals; heats 1-4)

1:40 p.m.: Men’s Trial (quarterfinals; heats 1-4)

2:20 p.m.: Junior Men (semifinals)

First- and second-place finishers in quarterfinals advance to the

Main Event.