ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) NORTH AMERICA
Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill featuring the Lost Pro Junior
Event No. 4 on the 2007 ASP North America Men’s Tour
Event No. 2 on the 2007 ASP North America Women’s Tour
Event No. 6 on the 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior Series (Men)
Event No. 1 on the 2007 ASP North America Men’s Longboard Tour
Huntington Beach, California, United States of America
July 20-29, 2007
HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Thursday, July 19, 2007) — The Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill is set to begin this Friday, July 20, and will usher in 10 days of world class surfing at the hallowed sands of Huntington Beach spanning the men’s, women’s, junior’s and longboard divisions.
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star men’s and women’s events will play pivotal roles in the qualifying campaigns of surfers for the Foster’s ASP World Tour and ASP Women’s World Tour respectively.
Ben Bourgeois (Wrightsville Beach, NC), current No. 8 on the ASP WQS, is having a stellar season and looks to keep the momentum building with a strong showing at the Honda U.S. Open before heading overseas.
“It would be great to get a result at home in the U.S., Bourgeois said. “A win at the U.S. Open would really set the pace as we head into the big European leg in the upcoming months.
With dozens of high-rated international events on this season’s ASP WQS, Bourgeois understands that his spot on next season’s Dream Tour won’t be secure without another strong result, and hopes that his years of experience at the venue will procure him a solid place in the ratings.
“It’s hard to say how many points it will take to qualify this season as there are so many events, Bourgeois said. “I think there are still ten more big events this season so it is still anyone’s game. I’ve been surfing out at the Pier since I was a grom and I’ve had good results at the Open in past years so I’m feeling pretty confident heading into this season’s event.
Micah Byrne (Huntington Beach, CA), who won the last ASP WQS event held at Huntington Beach in late March, will lead a massive onslaught of local talent purged to cause some big upsets as the international field of marquee names descends upon Huntington Beach.
“The U.S. Open is going to be a lot harder as there is so much international talent in the event, Byrne said. “I think it’s good for everyone though; the spectators get to watch some of the best surfing in the world and the surfers get to test their skills against the best. It’s one of the most prestigious events to compete in. With the summertime crowds, the sponsors and the media all turning up, I think it’s not far off to say that it’s the biggest and best event in the world.
The Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill will also host an ASP WQS 6-Star event for the women, the biggest of the season, and will showcase a swath of incredible talent from around the globe.
Former ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event champion Sofia Mulanovich (Lima, PER) will join 12 other elite tour competitors as they do battle with 60-woman field of talented up-and-comers, local standouts and fiery veterans.
In addition to the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing men’s and women’s divisions, the Lost Pro Junior will host an international field of top 20-and-under professional surfers as they hammer away at the own qualification campaigns for the prestigious Billabong ASP World Junior Championships next January.
The ASP Grade-2 Pro Junior event will begin Friday, July 20, and run through the weekend narrowing it down to the final four who will compete in front of the capacity crowd the following Sunday.
Adam Wickwire (Satellite Beach, FL), current ratings leader on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series, is the man to beat and will be surfing with new-found confidence following his Pro Junior victory earlier this month at the vue.
“I’ve never had a good result in Huntington before the last event so I’m definitely heading into this event with a lot more confidence, Wickwire said. “This is probably going to be the hardest Pro Junior event of the season because there are so many good guys here. There will be lots of really good surfers both from here and internationally, so if you can get a good result here, it should set you up for the rest of the year. This is the make or break point in the season and it will be full on from here out.
The Honda U.S. Open of Longboarding will hope to repeat last season’s incredible event which saw hometown hero Dodger Kremel (Huntington Beach, CA) take the win. The event will begin Saturday afternoon and will finish the following Sunday.
The Trials for the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill will begin Friday, July 20, and will feature 96 surfers vying for eight seeds into the main event which begins Monday, July 23.
This weekend’s action will go down at dual locations south of the Huntington Beach Pier. In addition to the Trials, the Lost Pro Junior and Honda U.S. Open of Longboarding will narrow their respective fields down to the final four, which will compete the following Sunday.
Daily updates will be available at www.aspnorthamerica.org, www.aspworldtour.com and www.usopenofsurfing.com.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, July 20, 2007
South Contest Area:
7am — 12:20pm: Honda U.S. Open Trials Round 1 (96 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 16
12:20pm — 4pm: Honda U.S. Open Trials Round 2 (64 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 8
HB Pier Contest Area:
7am — 11:20pm: Lost Pro Junior Round 1 (128 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 13
Saturday, July 21, 2007
South Contest Area:
8am — 10:40am: Honda U.S. Open Trials Round 2 (64 surfers remaining) Heats 9 — 16
10:40am — 1:20pm: Honda U.S. Open Trials Round 3 (32 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 8
1:20pm — 2:40pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Round 1 (56 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
2:40pm — 4pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Round 2 (48 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
HB Pier Contest Area:
8am — 9am: Lost Pro Junior Round 1 (128 surfers remaining) Heats 14 — 16
9am — 2:20pm: Lost Pro Junior Round 2 (96 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 16
2:20pm — 4pm: Lost Pro Junior Round 3 (64 surfers remaining) Heats 1 – 6
Sunday, July 22, 2007
South Contest Area:
7am — 8:20am: Honda U.S. Open Trials Quarterfinals (16 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
8:20am — 9:40am: U.S. Open of Longboarding Round 2 (48 surfers remaining) Heats 5 — 8
9:40am — 12:20pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Round 3 (32 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 8
12:20pm — 1:40pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Quarterfinals (16 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
1:40pm — 4pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Semifinals (8 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
HB Pier Contest Area:
7am — 10:20am: Lost Pro Junior Round 3 (64 surfers remaining) Heats 7 — 16
10:20am — 1pm: Lost Pro Junior Round 4 (32 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 8
1pm — 2:20pm: Lost Pro Junior Quarterfinals (16 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
2:20pm — 4pm: Lost Pro Junior Semifinals (8 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
Monday, July 23, 2007
7:30am — 4pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 1 (192 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 24
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
7:30am — 4pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 2 (144 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 24
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
7:30am — 9:30am: Women’s U.S. Open of Surfing Round 1 (60 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 6
9:30am — 1:30pm: Women’s U.S. Open Round 2 (48 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 12
1:30pm — 4pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 3 (96 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 5
Thursday, July 26, 2007
7:30am — 3:30pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 3 (96 surfers remaining) Heats 6 — 24
Friday, July 27, 2007
7:30am — 12:30pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 4 (48 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 12
12:30pm — 1:20pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 5 (24 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
1:20pm — 3:50pm: Women’s U.S. Open Round 3 (24 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 6
Saturday, July 28, 2007
7:30am — 9:10am: Women’s U.S. Open Round 4 (12 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
9:10am — 10:50am: Women’s U.S. Open Quarterfinals (8 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
10:50am — 1:20pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 5 (24 surfers remaining) Heats 3 — 8
1:20pm — 2:10pm: Women’s U.S. Open Semifinals (4 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
2:10pm — 3pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 6 (16 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
3pm — 3:30pm: Women’s U.S. Open Finals
Sunday, July 29, 2007
7:30am — 10am: Honda U.S. Open Round 6 (16 surfers remaining) Heats 3 — 8
10am — 11:40am: Honda U.S. Open Quarterfinals (8 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
11:40am — 12:25pm: Honda U.S. Open Semifinals (4 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
1:15pm — 1:45pm: Lost Pro Junior Finals
1:45pm — 2:45pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Finals
2:45pm — 3:15pm: Honda U.S. Open Finalsts 1 — 2
1:20pm — 3:50pm: Women’s U.S. Open Round 3 (24 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 6
Saturday, July 28, 2007
7:30am — 9:10am: Women’s U.S. Open Round 4 (12 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
9:10am — 10:50am: Women’s U.S. Open Quarterfinals (8 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
10:50am — 1:20pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 5 (24 surfers remaining) Heats 3 — 8
1:20pm — 2:10pm: Women’s U.S. Open Semifinals (4 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
2:10pm — 3pm: Honda U.S. Open Round 6 (16 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
3pm — 3:30pm: Women’s U.S. Open Finals
Sunday, July 29, 2007
7:30am — 10am: Honda U.S. Open Round 6 (16 surfers remaining) Heats 3 — 8
10am — 11:40am: Honda U.S. Open Quarterfinals (8 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 4
11:40am — 12:25pm: Honda U.S. Open Semifinals (4 surfers remaining) Heats 1 — 2
1:15pm — 1:45pm: Lost Pro Junior Finals
1:45pm — 2:45pm: U.S. Open of Longboarding Finals
2:45pm — 3:15pm: Honda U.S. Open Finals
