Honda U.S. Open of Surfing
Presented by O'Neill

ASP 6 Star WQS Mens Event
ASP 6 Star WQS  Womens Event
Huntington Beach, California
21 - 30 July 2006

Live Webcast  |  Scores/Results/Photos/Videos etc 

Honda U.S. Open of Surfing to Host Internationally Acclaimed Surfers

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 July, 2006 : - -  The Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill, a six-star men's and women's World Qualifying Series (WQS) event held in Huntington Beach, Calif., will feature hundreds of internationally acclaimed surfers when competition commences at the famed "Surf City" pier next week. The competition will run from July 21-30, 2006.  

The allure of a healthy prize purse (US$155,000) and valuable ratings points at mainland America's sole six-star has attracted the top WQS seeds looking to qualify for the 2007 "Dream Tour" - the nickname given to the top-tiered Foster's ASP Men's and ASP Women's World Tours.  

With 27 of the 'Top 45' men and 13 of the 'Top 17' women from those tours also slated to compete, the caliber of talent participating in the US Open is unrivaled by any other event on the qualifying series.  

Local favorite Timmy Reyes (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who in his second year on the elite Foster's ASP Men's World Tour is sitting 10th in the world, is anxious to compete at home after being away from home much of the year.  

"It'll be great to surf in my home town again. I haven't surfed out there much at all this year," Reyes said. "I've been watching the U.S. Open since I was a little kid and now I can surf in it which is an honor for sure. It's a really fun contest too because you see everyone you've known your whole life up on the pier yelling at you. Actually, if you take it too seriously it can get nerve wracking because there are just so many people there watching you."  

Several hundred thousand fans make their way to the "Surf City" pier to watch the event annually making it professional surfing's most attended event. 

"I just laugh every time I surf in the contest because it's just so much fun. The vibe is so cool. You get so many people coming down from 50 miles north, south, inland... There's so many people just come to hang out and enjoy the summer. I'm really looking forward to it."  

Past event winners in the men's division include three-time ASP world champ Andy Irons (AUS), international superstar Taj Burrow (AUS), and Californian sensation Rob Machado (USA).  

One of only two women's events with a six-star rating, the U.S. Open is crucial for females trying to qualify for the ASP Women's World Tour. Last year's women's event champ, Julia Christian (Carlsbad, CA), used her 2005 win in Huntington to secure her place back amongst the elite after failing to requalify for the top tier tour the two years prior.  

"The U.S. Open is the biggest WQS event for women so to win last year was pretty amazing -especially with the contest being in California with my brothers watching, it was really special," Christian said. "My U.S. Open win shot me up high ratings so when I got third in the four-start Hello Kitty which was also in Huntington Beach it sealed the deal. I'm really excited to compete in Huntington again."  

Running in conjunction with the WQS events will be the ASP Men's and Women's Grade-2 Pro Juniors, as well as an ASP-sanctioned Longboard event. North America's top junior surfers will be out to compete for the combined $20,000 prize purse (men's and women's), as well as valuable ratings points in their quests toward the ASP World Junior Championships in Australia next January.

Honda US Open of Surfing Fast Facts

Where:
Huntington Beach Pier, Huntington Beach, Calif., USA

When:
July 21-30, 2006

Divisions:
Men's Trials - 96 competitive field

Other:
Top 8 competitors advance to Main Event
Men's Event - 196 competitive field
$125,000 prize purse 
Women's Event - 60 competitive field 

Don't Miss Boys:
Pro Junior Boys' Event - 128 competitive field
Lost Pro Junior
July 21-30, 2006
ASP Grade 2 Pro Junior
$10,000 prize purse

And Girls:
Pro Junior Girls' Event - 32 competitive field
Target Pro Junior
July 22-30, 2006
ASP Grade 2 Pro Junior
$10,000

Longboard Too:
Longboard Event - 56 competitive field
Honda US Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill
July 21-30
ASP Pro Longboard two-star
$10,000  

Foster's ASP Men's World Tour surfers competing in the Honda US Open of Surfing:
Damien Hobgood (current world no. 6)
Philip MacDonald (current world no. 26)
Trent Munro (current world no. 30)
CJ Hobgood (current world no. 8)
Cory Lopez (current world no. 16)
Jake Paterson (current world no. 32)
Fredrick Patacchia Jr. (current world no. 21)
Victor Ribas (current world no. 35)
Dean Morrison (current world no. 11)
Paulo Moura (current world no. 26)
Travis Logie (current world no. 30)
Troy Brooks (current world no. 23
Darren O-Rafferty (current world no. 22)
Adriano de Souza (current world no. 29)
Bobby Martinez current world no. (3)
Adrian Buchan (current world no. 45)
Pedro Henrique (current world no. 41)
Roy Powers (current world no. 41)
Yuri Sodre (current world no. 41)
Raoni Monteiro (current world no. 37)
David Weare (current world no. 38)
Mikael Picon (current world no. 35)
Jarrad Howse (current world no. 38)
Tim Reyes (current world no. 10)
Toby Martin (current world no. 41)
Chris Ward (current world no. 26)
Marcelo Nunes (current world no. 33)

ASP Women's World Tour surfers competing in the Honda US Open of Surfing:
Sofia Mulonovich (current world no. 8)
Megan Abubo (current world no. 12)
Rochelle Ballard (current world no. 5)
Keala Kennelly (current world no. 8)
Samantha Cornish (current world no. 5)
Claire Bevilacqua (current world no. 8)
Jacqueline Silva (current world no. 16)
Serena Brooke (current world no. 16)
Rebecca Woods (current world no. 4)
Heather Clark (current world no. 5)
Jessi Miley-Dyer (current world no. 14)
Julia Christian (current world no. 14)
Silvana Lima (current world no. 11)

www.usopenofsurfing.com.

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