Japan’s Ohhara takes U.S. Open of Surfing title; Defay women’s champ
The Vans U.S. Open of Surfing took an unlikely turn Sunday when surprise winners who captured their first big championships took over center stage.
In the two final heats of a nine-day competition at the Huntington Beach Pier, the flags of Reunion Island and Japan were the last two to fly high. That’s because Johanne Defay of France won the Women’s title and Hiroto Ohhara of Japan followed by taking the Men’s title. Defay, 21, and Ohhara, 18, survived their opponents and relatively flat conditions before a crowd estimated at 75,000.
—
Men’s Final
Hiroto Ohhara made history by becoming the first Japanese surfer to win the U.S. Open title. He rallied late to turn back the challenge of 23-year-old Tanner Hendrickson of Hawaii, who had been on fire throughout the week in reaching the final. Ohhara won the final, 14.50-12.90, and the biggest win of his career earned him $100,000.
His amazing run? He went from an alternate in the event, to winning the title.
“This feeling is so amazing right now,” Ohhara said. “To the Japanese people, this means a lot. Number one.”
Hendrickson, who had taken out some big names during the competition to reach the final, including reigning Men’s U.S. Open champion Filipe Toledo of Brazil, led for most of the 40-minute heat. He had six total wave scores and it was his first two scores, a 7.00 and 5.90, that put him in the lead. He held a 12.90-10.50 edge with four minutes to go when Ohhara came up with a big ride and huge score of 9.17 that catapulted him into the lead for good.
Ohhara rode his first wave score of 5.33, and his next to last score (9.17) to the win. He also came back late in Sunday’s semifinals to win. He used a score of 7.50 with under three minutes left to slip past Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach, 15..50-13.16.
Ohhara vaulted from No. 81 to No. 13 in the World rankings with his triumph Sunday.
Hendrickson, who earned $20,000 for his second-place finish, had a memorable turn in the semifinals when he knocked out Toledo in the second heat. He had to wait for one final score for the Brazilian to drop after time had expired, and only secured a spot in the final after Toledo, who needed a 7.08 score to take the lead, was scored a 6.90 on his final ride.
When the final score was posted, Hendrickson, behind the main grandstand, jumped into the air and put his hands to his mouth, as though he couldn’t believe what he had done.
“I’m really excited and this is all just sinking in now,” said the Maui, Hawaii resident. “Beating that kid [Toledo] was probably the biggest highlight of my life because I look up to him.”
The Men’s quarterfinals Sunday went to the wire. The first heat of the day saw Igarashi eliminate Nathan Yeomans (USA), 14.00-11.40. O’Hara slipped past Ryan Callinan of Australia, 14.67-14.54 in Heat 2, Toledo stayed alive by edging out fellow Brazilian Alex Ribeiro, 14.93-14.30, and Hendrickson continued strong by easing past Kolohe Andino (USA), 13.26-7.93.
—
Women’s Final
Johanne Defay held the early lead on Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia in the 40-minute heat and maintained that advantage until six minutes remained. It was then that Fitzgibbons, last year’s runner-up, took her first lead with a wave score of 7.00. Defay answered with a score of 5.87 with three minutes left to regain the lead.
The surf went dormant the remainder of the final, and Defay was able to earn her third Championship Tour victory with a 13.54-11.83 win that gave her a $65,000 paycheck. She was carried up the beach by her friend and competitor, Bianca Buitendag of South Africa, whom she defeated Sunday in the semifinals.
Defay’s win also moved her up from 11th to sixth in the World rankings.
Fitzgibbons, ranked third in the world, won $25,000. She had eliminated local favorite Courtney Conlogue in a semifinal heat Sunday morning.
Did Defay expect to win the U.S. Open?
“No, not at all,” she said. “It’s crazy.”
Was the U.S. Open her biggest win?
“Of course. Of course, yes,” she gushed.
The four Women’s quarterfinal heats were Saturday. Defay defeated Lakey Peterson (USA), 13.80-10.14, Buitendag got past Carissa Moore (Hawaii), 11.10-10.60, Conlogue eliminated Malia Manuel (Hawaii), 16.43-15.20, and Fitzgibbons downed fellow Aussie Nikki Van Dijk, 14.26-10.03.
Conlogue, a Sage Hill School alumna, will move up to No. 1 in the Championship Tour rankings after reaching the semifinals.
—
Pro Junior
Saturday marked the end of a week-long Men’s and Women’s competition in the Pro Junior division, and ended with two athletes winning their first U.S. Open titles.
The first U.S. Open champion crowned was Caroline Marks of Florida who took the title at age 13. Marks led early and her top wave scores of 9.43 and 8.37 led to a 17.80 total score, the highest of the Women’s Pro Junior competition.
Marks came out on top from a field that included runner-up Meah Collins (10.34) of Costa Mesa, third-place Holly Wawm (Australia, 9.30), and Frankie Harrer (USA, 7.777) was fourth. Her first-place finish was worth $2,000.
In the Men’s Pro Junior, Griffin Colapinto of San Clemente grabbed the lead by the 10-minute mark of the 30-minute heat final and withstood a lead change to Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach, to win his first title. Igarashi had taken over the top spot with a wave score of 9.57 but Colapinto retaliated with a score of 9.67 to recapture the lead.
Colapinto was first with a total score of 17.77, edging out Igarashi who was second with 17.24 points. Colapinto earned $2,500 for the win.
Hiroto Arai of Japan was third (14.44) and Cam Richards of Florida finished fourth (13,00).
—
Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational
In the last final of the day Saturday, Justin Quintal of Florida won the Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational (longboard) presented by Pacifico.
—
Van Doren Invitational
In an exciting skate final at the Vans Pro Bowl Saturday, Ben Hatchell of Virginia won the competition and the $25,000 top prize. It was the second title for Hatchell who won the first Van Doren Invitational two years ago.
Second place and $15,000 went to Pedro Barros, and third place and $10,000 went to Chris Russell.