US Open of Surfing Preview

PHOTO GALLERY Check out the Ladies of Surf in the Gallery. VIEW GALLERY >

Descending onto HB Pier in Surf City every year, the famed US Open of Surfing is the world’s largest professional surfing competition and North America’s only six-star WQS-rated competition of the year. With over 500 of the world’s top surfers representing a dozen countries, the US Open is the place to go to gain the most WQS points of any single event for a shot at snagging the elusive 16 spots to make it into the coveted WCT at the end of the year.  Also up for grabs is a cool $125,000 prize purse and bragging rights for the most highly attended event in professional surfing.   
 
To date, the 2006 WQS season has been extremely competitive with explosive surfing and upsets happening at almost every event.  July saw South African Ricky Basnett defeat top ranked Australian Dayyan Neve at Durban, South Africa’s Mr. Price Pro; the first time a South African as won the event in 28 years.  And while Australia and Brazil are currently dominating the WQS tour rankings with Aussie Dayyan Neve in first and Brazil’s Neco Padaratz in second, the US Open looks to be extremely difficult for those looking to gain valuable points due to the fact that 27 of the WCT’s top 45 surfers are competing in the event.  As many of the top pros use WQS events to improve their standings for the WCT, the US Open becomes a “who’s who” of professional surfing, with the level of talent unmatched by any other event.  
 

PHOTO GALLERY Come see the Guys of Surf in the Gallery. VIEW GALLERY>

Big names like the Hobgoods, Cory Lopez, HB local Timmy Reyes and Bobby Martinez (currently third in WCT rankings behind Kelly Slater and Andy Irons) are all sure to kill it at the Pier and give these guys a run for their money, making it nearly impossible to come out on top and gain points.  Also coming in hot in the WQS ranks are the East Coast’s Ben Bourgeois, HB ripper Brett Simpson, big wave charger Mike Todd and SoCal standout Pat Gudauskas who are also looking to improve their rankings and are more than capable of coming from behind if their A-game is on. 
 
So who will take it all?  Can Australian Dayyan Neve continue his domination on the WQS tour and win it in Huntington Beach? Or will the sport’s baddest steal the show on home turf and continue in the tradition of the US Open?  No one knows for sure, so don’t miss a single second of the action and keep it locked to Lat34.com for continuous US Open of Surfing event coverage and more.  We'll see you in the water!