Last year the U.S. Open hit a trifecta of historical waveriding proportion, or at least as far as surf contests in Huntington Beach go. First, there was the much talked about beach attendance: half a million people over the course of the week. Second, there was the prize money: a cool 100 grand went to hometown hero Brett Simpson. Never before had anybody won $100,000 in a surf contest. And third, there was the surf. "California's not supposed to get this big," said Andy Irons, reeling after breaking the fin out of his favorite board. The surf topped out somewhere around the 12-foot mark, turning a regularly high-performance show into a paddle battle for survival.
2010 U.S. Open of Surfing Preview
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As the circus swarms Huntington Beach for the 2010 Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing, here are a few players to keep a keen eye on.
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That's a hard act to follow. In fact, it's pretty much impossible at this point. Consider this: this weekend, as the trials hit the water, the best swell of the contest period peaked. Fun, head-high, classic Huntington. Further out the forecast is calling for another round of south swell to be "gradually filling in Friday the 6th and then best for the weekend of the 7th-8th."
The report goes on to read: "This westerly SW swell will be partially blocked/shadowed by Catalina and San Clemente Islands, so we're expecting inconsistent waist-shoulder high sets over the weekend of the 7th-8th, and possibly slightly better."
Of course the weather can change, and there is a tropical disturbance out there that could turn into something, but it's going to take a lot for us to see double overhead closeouts of death.
Regardless, swell or no swell, failed economy or not, the prize money's intact. And it's a huge motivator. "Yeah, of course you want to win a 100 grand, who wouldn't?" joked Mick Fanning. "It makes the stakes that much higher." With a $250,000 prize purse for the men (and a paltry $60,000 for the women), there's reason to endure the circus.
And when we say circus, we're talking about the thousands of sunburned humans, the autograph signings, the 20,000 square foot "Action Sports' retail and brand experience," the skate ramp, the BMX zone, the fashion shows, afternoon concerts, and whatever else people can slap a sticker or fake tattoo on. "It's madness," described a slightly baffled Julian Wilson last year.
U.S. Open Raw Data:
All this and there's supposed to be a surf contest going on. In fact, it's a high-stakes surf contest with big ASP ratings points on the line. As the transition from a two-tier to a one-tier system is set to take place in about a month's time, there's a definite heightened level of pressure on some of the guys on the bubble.
"Most of the pressure is what you put on yourself, all the rest of the pressure is people just wanting you to do well and win," explains Brett Simpson, who hopes to defend last year's title, and after a lackluster start to his rookie year on tour, tally a few much-needed ratings points. "You've got to beat the best to be the best. That was all I thought and was taught growing up, so surfing at my home break, I know I have a great advantage and I've got to go out there and capitalize on that as best as I can. It's exciting to have the best surfers in the world in town. "
But for Florida's Evan Geiselman, just being invited to the dance is good enough. "Getting a wildcard into the main event is an excellent opportunity for me," says Geiselman. "I'll get to surf against the best guys. Hopefully I can make a few heats."
Whatever happens over the course of the next week, we're in for a wild ride. I'll be up there, surviving, enduring, and blogging, hope you'll hang around.