Local competitors ready for battle at US Open of Surfing

The US Open of Surfing is a pivotal event for several local surfers hoping to ride into the big leagues – and if they do well at the Huntington Beach event, it will bring them one step closer to their lifelong pro surfing dreams.

For nine days, more than 150 surfers from around the globe will battle on the south side of the famed pier. It’s not only a chance to perform in front of a big crowd of fans, but also a way to earn valuable points with hopes of joining the ranks of the World Surf League’s elite World Tour.

First, they’ll have to make it past a handful of seasoned, big-name World Tour surfers who have entered the mega event this year.

But it could be an underdog story for any of the rising-star surfers. They know the waves well in Huntington, a place they grew up competing often on the amateur circuits. They’ll have friends and family rooting them on and have the luxury of sleeping in their own beds, recharging for the marathon nine days of competition.

Huntington Beach is the fourth of six stops on the Challenger Series, the minor leagues and the pathway for 10 male and five female surfers to make next year’s World Tour.

Several San Clemente surfers are within reach of making the elite tour, depending on results at the US Open and two upcoming events. If just a few of them succeed, it could mean a huge presence of Orange County surfers on next year’s World Tour.

Here’s a look at standout surfers to watch at the event:

Cole Houshmand: 

The San Clemente surfer is on a winning streak.

Houshmand, 22, won a Challenger Series event in Australia last May, followed by another big win at the Ballito Pro in South Africa in July.

Those victories have put him at the top spot for the Challenger Series rankings. While it hasn’t been made official just yet, he’ll likely secure a spot on next year’s World Tour. He would join fellow San Clemente surfer Griffin Colapinto, who is poised to make the WSL Final 5 world championships at Lower Trestles in September and recently was named a USA team member for the 2024 Olympics.

“It feels amazing, just to be able to compete close to home feels good. I love the US Open, it’s the biggest event of the year,” he said at the contest site on Friday, July 28, as he geared up for the event kicking off Saturday. “You’re competing in a stadium-type setting. It’s always fun to try and show off for people and do your thing.”

Having such good results this year helps him go into the event mentally relaxed – but he still has his own pressure and personal goals to reach.

“I’m able to take it all in and have fun,” he said. “But once I put the jersey on, it’s game on.”

Having so many local San Clemente surfers he grew up surfing with, and against, helps bring hometown pride, he said. But he’s also proud to be a part of so many American surfers doing well against the international field of competitors at the only Challenger Series event held in the United States.

“It’s in our home country, it’s nice to wave our flag at home,” he said. “It’s exciting, I love the crowd, I love the atmosphere. Everything about this event is cool.”

Kade Matson: 

Another San Clemente surfer high on the Challenger Series rankings is Kade Matson, a 21-year-old who had a semifinal finish at the last event in South Africa. He’s currently ranked fifth and in a good spot to land on next year’s World Tour.

Matson had to sit out the competitive season last year after having back surgery that left him unable to walk or surf for much of the year.

“I think it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me, mentally and physically,” he said. “I think I did a pretty good job of keeping a good head.”

It was a tough year, he admitted, having to work hard to renew his surf stamina.

But now he’s back, fully recharged.

“Being able to do well here is a huge goal of mine for this year,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll keep the momentum I already have going. … It’s a chance to compete at a wave we’ve all grown up at. It’s a big deal for us to compete at home. We literally had contests there every weekend. It’s definitely a wave we have an advantage at.”

More San Clemente surfers to watch: 

Two more surfers, Jett Schilling and Crosby Colapinto, are also within reach of making next year’s World Tour, depending on their results in Huntington Beach and the next two events. Schilling is currently ranked 10th and Crosby Colapinto, Griffin’s little brother, at the 13th spot. Making it to the finals day at US Open would catapult them up the rankings.

Sawyer Lindblad: 

The San Clemente surfer has a long history competing at the Huntington Beach Pier, the first place she ever put a contest jersey on at age 10.

She earned a handful of amateur national titles here in recent years and for the past two years has claimed the Jack’s Surfboard Pro win.

“It definitely feels like a second home,” she said. “I really enjoy surfing the waves here. I love the crowds.”

Lindblad is ranked seventh on the Challenger Series and a good result would nudge her up to the top five females who move on to next year’s World Tour.

But at age 17, she’s not letting the pressure get to her.

“I’m still so young. I don’t think about having pressure, I just want to go out there and have fun and try and surf my best,” she said.

She’ll be rooting on her older brother, Taj, 20, also competing in the event.

Kirra Pinkerton 

The San Clemente surfer, 20, is surfing the event as a wildcard but ranked 23rd on the Challenger Series. A few solid results could put her in reach of the World Tour.

She’s excited to surf the event at a place where she, like the other surfers, grew up competing.

“It brings an overall good vibe to the beach,” she said of the festival. “It’s such a cool event with all the booths where you can check out all the sponsors. It brings another element to the contest.”

She remembers going to the event when she was 7, maybe even younger, and meeting her idols, she recalled.

“It’s something special. I’ve always wanted to win it,” she said. “I think if I ended up winning the event, it would put me in a good position to qualify.”

World Tour surfers: 

But first, they’ll have to get passed the world’s best.

The US Open of Surfing attracts some of the world’s top surfers, and several World Tour surfers are among the competitors hoping to take the win.

One of the biggest names signed up for the event is Brazilian Filipe Toledo, who also calls San Clemente home. He’s the current world champion and the No. 1-ranked surfer in the world. His high-flying style is suited for the beach-break waves of Huntington Beach and in 2014 he won the event. Toledo is matched up against Crosby Colapinto for their first heat.

Then, there’s Huntington’s hometown surfer Kanoa Igarashi, also a World Tour competitor who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics for Japan. He’s won two US Open titles and will be hunting for his third.

San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino is trying to regain his spot on the World Tour after suffering a mid-year cut. He typically makes it into the finals day at the event. In his first heat, he’ll match up against last year’s winner, Ezekiel Lau of Hawaii.

Surf forecast: The opening weekend will have 3-4 foot surf before dipping down to the 2-3 foot range early next week.

Watch it live: worldsurfleague.com

Source: Orange County Register