» updated Jul/23/2007
Heat # 5 MEN ROUND OF 192
Blue 1st 11.27 PETER DEVRIES CAN
Yellow 2nd 10.10 CASEY BROWN HAW
White 3rd 7.43 DANIEL JONES HAW
Red 4th 6.63 MARK MATHEWS AUS
» updated Jul/22/2007
We just got back from the third day of competition. I surfed my
fourth heat of the trials at 7am this morning and won it with an 8.5
and a 6.0. I ended up starting in the first round of the trials and
surfing in the first heat of the day. I'm staying in Carlsbad with
Jeremy Sherwin so we've been waking up at 5:00 am to make the drive up
to the event in time for my heats.
On the first day the waves were waist to chest high and fun with a
little south wind effecting it. The sandbars are tricky this year
with sets over waist high breaking out the back and (if you pump hard
enough) reforming through to the shorebreak; anything smaller waits
until it hits the shore to break. I had a couple lefts in the first
heat that I connect through to the inside to get two 7's. In the
second round it was high tide and everything was focused on the quick
closed out shorebreak. I managed to get an 8 at the start and backed
it up with a 6 to take the win. My thrid round was yesterday and the
conditions continued to get smaller. I caught a knee high wave and
did a little snap then threw the tail on a close-out to get an 8.33.
I backed it up with a 4.77 to make the heat.
After making it through the 1/4 finals of the trials I am now into the
main event and round of 192 which I will surf tomorrow at some point.
They should have the heat draw up tonight and I assume the will have
live webcast tomorrow.
Pete
Heat # 1 TRIALS MEN ROUND OF 201
Red 1 14.50 PETER DEVRIES CAN
Blue 2 11.07 SEAN MARCERON USA
White 3 9.24 CHRIS DRUMMY USA
Yellow 4 0.00 0 -
Heat # 1 MEN TRIALS ROUND OF 216
Red 1 13.10 PETER DEVRIES CAN
Yellow 2 10.00 TOMMY O'BRIEN USA
Blue 3 9.43 BRANDON GUILMETTE USA
White 4 5.77 IAN EKBERG USA
Heat # 1 MEN TRIALS ROUND OF 248
Yellow 1 14.73 PETER DEVRIES CAN
Red 2 12.53 RICKY WHITLOCK USA
Blue 3 11.77 KENTA KAYASHI JPN
White 4 11.67 JESSE HEILMAN USA
Heat # 1 MEN TRIALS ROUND OF 280
Red 1 14.63 PETER DEVRIES CAN
White 2 12.94 IAN EKBERG USA
Yellow 3 7.00 JACOB KIRSHENBAUM USA
Blue 4 4.13 GARY WHEELER USA
Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill
MASSIVE HONDA U.S. OPEN OF SURFING PRESENTED BY O'NEILL
ENVELOPES THE HUNTINGTON BEACH PIER, JULY 20 TO 29
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The world's largest professional surfing competition, the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill, returns to the Huntington Beach Pier from July 20 to 29, 2007. More than 500 world-class athletes representing a dozen countries will battle over 10 days and across four divisions, all chasing a $175,000 prize purse and the chance to become part of the U.S. Open's coveted lore.
"The U.S. Open of Surfing is the biggest WQS surf competition in North America and draws more spectators than any other surf event in the world," said O'Neill Clothing Chief Executive Officer Toby Bost. "The U.S. Open has a rich history in surfing and showcases the best surfers in the world battling it out for the six star titles, and we are stoked to be part of that energy for the fifth year."
The giant Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill boasts North America's only six-star World Qualifying Series (WQS)-rated men's and women's competitions, longboarding and men's junior (19 and under) disciplines. The Honda Men's U.S. Open showcases 288 competitors and a $125,000 purse while the women's division offers $30,000 in cash prizes to its field of 60 women.
The $10,000 Lost Pro Junior for men (field of 128) is the largest event of its kind in the U.S., with many competitors doing double-duty in the "open". The junior division historically offers a glimpse of surfing's next generation of top pros, with a champions list headlined by Kelly Slater, Rob Machado and Andy Irons. The $10,000 O'Neill U.S. Open of Longboarding features soulful maneuvers on nine-foot (minimum length) boards mixed with modern aerials and awesome displays of power.
For many years the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing's WQS format featured a four-person (top two surfers advance) format from start to finish and a priority system drastically different from the Association of Surfing Professional's (ASP) elite World Championship Tour (WCT).
In 2005 the U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill men's, women's and men's junior divisions adopted a uniquely modified version, one that prepares competitors for the grand prix circuit. Quarters, semis and finals all feature man-on-man competition utilizing the WCT's priority system, ironically first used at this venue in 1982. The round just prior to the quarter-finals, will pit three competitors with the top two moving forward.
While tracing its roots to the "U.S. Championships" first held in 1959, the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill – taking over for the venerable Op Pro – blasted onto the scene in 1994 when Shane Beschen defeated now eight-time world champion Kelly Slater in a final witnessed by an unheard of 65,000 cheering spectators (the duo would flip-flip podium positions in 1996). In addition to Slater and Beschen, the list of prior champions now reads like a who's who of professional surfing—Rob Machado, Andy Irons, Cory Lopez, Taj Burrow, Layne Beachley, Sofia Mulanovich, Chelsea Georgeson and Lisa Andersen.
The U.S. Open of Surfing anchors California's quintessential action sport, music and lifestyle festival, the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing and Beach Festival. More than 600 world-class surfing, skateboarding, FMX and BMX athletes compete amid America's largest ocean-front exposition. All of the action will be accessible live on www.usopenofsurfing.com.
"The U.S. Open of Surfing continues to reinvent itself each year as it grows in size and stature," said James Leitz, Vice President of IMG. "O'Neill's presenting sponsorship allows IMG to maintain the event's relevance among the surf community."
Bost also commented, "By being apart of the U.S. Open we are able to bring more awareness to the O'Neill Brand, while also giving back to our community, retailers and consumers."
The Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill will be broadcast to 60 million households on the highly acclaimed action sports, music and youth lifestyle magazine show on "Fusion TV", now airing on Versus (formerly Outdoor Life Network). Three one-hour Fusion TV programs will air on Tuesdays and Saturday's for consecutive weeks in August/early September 2007.
All events during the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing and the Beach Festival are open to the public, free of charge. The early rounds of surfing begin on Friday, July 20 and run through Sunday, July 29. Festival activities, BMX and skate competitions begin on Thursday, July 26 with FMX starting on Friday, July 27th.
