Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing kicks off this weekend
July 16th, 2009, 10:21 am · · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
Orange County’s premier surfing event kicks off on Saturday, with junior surfers battling it out on the south side of the pier to begin this year’s Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing.
The event, celebrating 50 years of surfing at the pier, is expected to be especially exciting with big name surfers such as Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, and Rob Machado joining the competition.
There’s $100,000 on the line for the men’s winner – the largest purse of any surf contest in the history of the sport.
While the first few days of the event are relatively tame – focusing mostly on men surfers vying for a spot in the contest – the real excitement starts next Thursday when an array of festivities and action sports hit the sand.
Organizers are saying this year’s craziness on the sand will be toned down a bit – with the contest expected to focus more on surfing – there will still be other highlights such as BMX, skateboarding, a fashion show, and concerts.
Check out OrangeCounty.com for live coverage, photo slideshows and more.
Schedule of events:
Sunday: Junior men’s surfing, junior women’s surfing and men’s trials.
Monday – Tuesday: Men’s surfing
Wednesday: Women’s surfing; Men’s surfing
Thursday: Men’s surfing (7:30 a.m.), Festival opens, Surfing Walk of Fame at Jack’s Surfboards (10 a.m.), women’s surfing (12:30 p.m.), junior men’s surfing (3 p.m.), Nike 6.0 BMX (3 p.m.), concerts start at 4 p.m.
Friday: Men’s surfing (8 a.m.), Surfers Hall of Fame at HSS (10 a.m.) Women’s surfing (11:20 a.m.), Junior Men’s Surfing (2:40 p.m.), Nike 6.0 BMX 3 p.m., Hurley Pro Trials (3:20 p.m), Hurley Walk the Walk Grand Championships (4 p.m.), concerts start at 4 p.m.
Saturday: Men’s surfing (8 a.m.), women’s surfing (11:20 a.m.), WPS All-Star Tow-in Expression Session (12:10 p.m.), Nike 6.0 BMX pros (1 p.m.), Nike 6.0 Junior Pro Final (2 p.m.), Converse Coastal Carnage (2 p.m.), Corona Nose Rising Invitational (2:30 p.m.), Hurley Women’s US Open Final (3:15 p.m.), Women’s and Juniors awards (3:45 p.m.), Tim Curran in concert (4:45 p.m.)
Sunday: Men’s surfing (8 a.m.), WPS All-Star Tow-in Expression Session (10:30 a.m.), Corona Nose Riding Invitational (11:15 a.m.), Nike 6.0 Men’s Junior Pro Final (11:35 p.m.), Life Rolls On Expression Session (12:05 p.m.), Hurley Men’s Final (12:40 p.m.), Awards (1:10 p.m.), Nike 6.0 BMX Pro finals (2 p.m.), Converse Coastal Carnage Finals (3 p.m.), Festival Village closes 5 p.m.
Go to usopenofsurfing.com for more info.
Check out more events happening on Orange County beaches this weekend.
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BEACHAPEDIA – your guide to the coast
Local surfers recognized
Oh boy, HB needs another surf contest like California needs another ilegal alien!
Way too many people in one place for my enjoyment, think I’ll just try to find a wave by myself without the limelight and hoopla.
I agree, too many people! I am a local and cant stand all the people that come for this event and trash our town.
Come on guys! It pays your taxes with green Money, right? HB was a nice little town 40yrs ago, move on!
Hey, I’m a action sports photographer but don’t have credentials from a magazine or news agency, how do I get into event to photograph it as an independant photographer?
How’s this for a start… learn how to spell “independant”! It’s INDEPENDENT.
I agree with both sides! It might seem like a burden having all those people around town but look at it this way, There is a buttload of money coming in to this town and do we need it. Plus there is a major upside to this……. Women in Bikinis.
There are a lot spots to surf besides the Pier. The comp is only for a little over week, you have 51 more weeks of the year to surf the pier
I normally try to avoid the US Open because I always end up at yelling at some 9er throwing beer cans on the ground or littering our beach. But this year I will make the walk down since there are actually going to be WAVES. Also, due to the large prize money every pro surfer worth his salt will be there. Beautiful women, come on down!
Hey Tim
If you’re a sports photographer without credentials from a magazine, newspaper or an agency, wouldn’t that just make you a regular spectator that just takes pictures?……or just a fan with a camera.
Tim my advice to you is stay home, and try to stay out of the way of the credentialed professionals that are there to actually do a job.
REALLY? Huntington has had surf contests for the last 50 years, be it the OP Pro or the US Open. Its part of our culture. Anybody who lives in this town should understand that. Yea parking is annoying, and if your such a local ride your bike like the rest of us, or better yet stay home if your that bitter.
p.s your not a local just because you have been here for a couple of years.
I totally agree with you. Get on your bikes like the rest of us do and quit complaining !!!!!!!
I agree with you.
Huntington Beach is the SPOT.
And if people don’t like it they can find another beach for the day, or stay home.
> To “proud of HB”
If I share your opinion, can I be considered as a local although I bought a place in HB only a couple of month ago?
i love us open every year and i’m a local but it sucks having all the tourists trash the beach. hopefully there wont be as many as usual this year with the way the economy is going
Yes these surf contests draw huge crowds , thats a lot of eye candy !
I’m not a local, don’t want to be, don’t need to be… You can have your contests, your crowds, your tax dollars, your credentialed photogs, whatever.. I’m just a lone body on this earth who likes to catch a wave or two, I’ve got nothing to prove and no one to please. Enjoy your contest, buy into it.
Miki, I couldn’t have said it better…..
Why woudl you be concerned in what is going on at the beach. Anyone taking the time to write comments about this probably does not leave the house all day and is locked in on some dating site hopeing to meet the right person. Get off your computers and go outside for a change. Those of you that go to the contest have fun, enjoy the waves, pick up a piece of extra trash, and enjoy the scenery.
And you can keep your place in mediocrity, Miki Dora.
Im home now, and theres nothing better then checking the hotties out at the U.S. OPEN. Idrive now and to those who know me. My skateboared (longboared) is right by my side. Gotta love the swell this year.
And what is the size of the women’s purse?
Women’s 1st Place: $10,000 — increased from the original $4,500 women’s first-place purse
Screw H.B. too damm racist there!
Love the US Open – great waves / athletes/ commentators.
One request for explanation:
Men’s take-home is $100K; Women’s is $10K. Why the exponential discrepancy?
Because women’s surfing is boring like the WNBA. why should they get paid more if they are worse at something then men. This is not the workplace. shut up