back to defend his title

Mike Sciacca

Cory Lopez returned to town Sunday with hopes of becoming the toast

of it, just as he was able to do a year ago.

Lopez came to Surf City from his home in Indian Rock Beach, Fla.,

for a week’s stay, but it’ll be anything but rest and relaxation as

the reigning champ battles a strong men’s field vying for the title

of the Honda Element U.S. Open of Surfing Presented by O’Neill.

The 27-year-old said he headed out west with a fresh and laid-back

attitude.

Perhaps winning his first U.S. Open title last August has taken

the edge off any angst he perhaps felt in previous attempts at the

men’s crown.

After all, winning the world’s largest surfing competition would

look great on anybody’s resume.

“That was a special day,” said Lopez, as he recalled last year’s

competition. “You know, you hope you are able to go out there and

give it your best, but a lot of things, like good wave selection,

beach conditions, things like that, have a say in the outcome of your

performance.

“I had a great run last year. I had some family members out here

watching and it was almost unreal when I won it. It was amazing.”

This year marks Lopez’s ninth foray into the U.S. Open of Surfing

competition.

Lopez, who spent four summers living in Huntington Beach during

his teenage years, will surf his first heat on Friday.

By winning last year’s title, he joins brother Shea -- the men’s

winner in 1999 -- as a U.S. Open champion.

They are the only brother combination to accomplish the feat.

Shea Lopez, recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, will not

compete in this year’s event, Cory Lopez said, adding that his older

brother will be in Surf City Friday to root him on.

Winning last year’s men’s title adds to Lopez’s ability to win

grand-scale events.

One of O’Neill’s team riders, Lopez bagged his first big

tournament title when he won the 2001 Billabong Pro in Tahiti.

In addition to winning last year’s six-star U.S. Open of Surfing,

he received two accolades at the Surfer Poll Awards in 2003.

Lopez won the “Guts and Glory” award, where his unstrapped tow-in

at massive Teahupoo earned top honors from the surfing public. His

second award was the prestigious Surfer Poll Award, where he came in

as the seventh-most popular surfer in the world.

His highest rating in his career so far has been in 2001 where he

came in at No. 3 on the World Championship Tour.

He is rated 39th on the WCT and is seeded 31st for this week’s

U.S. Open of Surfing.

Like any big event, he’ll be competing against some longtime

friends.

“The bottom line is that when we’re on dry land, we’re all pretty

good friends,” he said. “But when we get out in the water, it can

become a whole other game. I will just go out there and take care of

my business, and the others will be out their, doing the same.

Everybody will be on their game for this one.”

Lopez heads into the men’s U.S. Open of Surfing coming off a

17th-place finish at the $260,000 Billabong Pro at Jeffreys Bay,

South Africa held earlier this month.

At last year’s men’s U.S. Open of Surfing, Lopez recalls surfing a

mistake-free event.

“I had a few good surfboards to work with, I was catching the

right waves and I wasn’t making mistakes, which I think is the big

key to winning an event like this,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun out

in Huntington. The waves are maneuverable and the city’s a great

showcase for the sport of surfing.

“I’m feeling great and I can’t wait to get started.”