By TransWorld SURF
Wed, Dec 30 2009 4:46 pm | Comments

South Swell Of The Decade At The US Open

The Hurley US Open of Surfing, an event that can trace its roots back to 1959, is usually associated with the infamous “Huntington Hop” and massive summertime crowds. This year, thanks to a massive south swell that lasted for three days, there was no hopping needed to make it to the shorebreak, instead, jet skis were put to use just so surfers could make it out past the thumping double overhead peaks. Over 400,000 surf fans made it down to Huntington Beach Pier to witness Southern California surfers Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach) and Courtney Conlogue (Santa Ana) take down an international field that included Mick Fanning, Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Coco Ho, and Carissa Moore. With two hometown heroes winning the event and a record $100,000 going to the men’s winner Simpson, the 2009 Hurley US Open Of Surfing will go down as the best surf contest ever on mainland American soil.—Justin Coté