Local stars come out at U.S. Open

RICK FIGNETTI

Get ready, it’s almost here. The scaffolding has been set up on the

beach for the last couple weeks on the south side of the H.B. pier,

with the final touches being done the last couple days to kick off

this year’s 2004 Honda Element U.S. Open of Surfing presented by

O’Neill.

The contest, which features an incredible 600-plus surfers, World

Qualifying Series six-star points, and $175,000 in prize money, is

ready to commence with the trials Saturday, working up to the

top-seeded guns next week.

Already, some of the local contingent has been shredding it up by

the pier. Leading the charge, and just back from Africa, is Timmy

Reyes, who I saw open up his free surf session the other day with

three insane lip bashes in a row on what I would’ve scored an 8.5

wave. Reyes is H.B.’s top surfer in the Qualifying Series ratings,

around the No. 50 mark, and a good showing could boost him up the

charts to get into the championship tour qualifying zone, right here

on his home turf.

Brett Simpson’s been tearing up the north side, too. He had a

great showing last year, along with some of his bros in the top 100

ratings like locals Shaun Ward and Mike Hoisington, who are also

looking to do some big damage this year. Pro Surfing Tour of America

champ Ryan Simmons of Seal Beach has been lighting it up out there,

too, and so has Micah Byrne, a finalist in the juniors from a couple

years back who’s been surfing pretty radically.

I saw Surfside’s Jodie Nelson throw a couple mean turns as she

looks to make the final for the gals. Longboard hotshot Josh Mohr has

made the finals before and is looking for a win, and former world

champ Joey Hawkins of H.B. is back in action. He’s out of retirement

and has been practicing a lot, so watch out.

Tons more of the H.B. hot underdogs are looking to make a name for

themselves with a good placing at the Open, which would give them

instant hero status. That is, if you’re not one of the hundreds of

alternates on the list trying to get in.

The big boys, like current world champ Andy Irons, six-time world

champ Kelly Slater, last year’s champ Corey Lopez, and brothers C.J.

and Damien Hobgood, who have back-to-back wins on the championship

tour, are in along with top Californian rippers Taylor Knox, Pat

O’Connell, Timmy Curren, Shane Beschen and the “Mobster” Rob Machado,

to name a few.

The weather has been total summer the last couple weeks, with

plenty of sunshine and air temps in the 80s and nice water temps that

tipped the 70s last week. All we need is some swell action, and

that’s hopefully on the way. See ya there, hopefully one or all of

the nine days of the event.

The Billabong Pro at Jeffreys Bay is in round-four action for the

men. The usual cast of suspects is still in: last year’s winner

“Slates,” A.I., who’s busted some of the highest scores, Australian

“Parko” Joel Parkinson, who’s had some mean ones, and Hawaiian power

master Sunny Garcia. Their styles are suited just right for that

long, perfect right-hander. Aussie Taj Burrow won the expression

session with a sick 360 air. I’ll have more news as it comes hot off

the press.

The style master from La Jolla, Joel Tudor, has won the

longboarding world championships with a win in France at the Nokia

International L.B. Bear Championships just a few days ago. Congrats,

maybe we’ll see him in action at the U.S. Open, where Tudor has an

incredible number of wins over the years in Huntington.

Well, that’s it for now.

P.S. I’ll leave those V.I.P. wristbands at the gate for ya.

Cowabunga! Surf’s up. Fig over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a nine-time West Coast champion, has announced

the U.S. Open of Surfing the last nine years and has been the KROQ-FM

surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf reports. He

owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.