Huge Waves Steal Show on Big Wednesday

Although the surfers were supposed to be the stars of the G-Shock U.S. Open, it was Hurricane Guillermo that stole the show Wednesday, providing the area’s largest summer surf in eight years.

With solid eight-foot and an occasional 10- to 11-foot sets pounding the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, competitors in the men’s division provided some outstanding rides.

At times, the surf was so high that it smashed into the upper portion of the pier. Repercussions from Guillermo started Tuesday as the storm gathered power off Baja. And according to the weather reports, the surf is supposed to be even bigger today.

Huntington Beach’s Brian Walker, who’s been a lifeguard for 12 years, said he’s never seen summer surf this big at Huntington Beach. “It’s awesome. It’s easily 15-foot faces coming through here,” he said.

Geoff Moysa, the longboard ace from San Clemente, continued his strong showing on the shortboard as he advanced to the eighth-round of the men’s trial heats.

Moysa was able to handle the monster sets as he advanced through three heats Wednesday.

“It’s like Hawaii out there,” said Moysa, who was one of the few surfers able to catch the maximum three waves per heat. “It really worked you just to get out. It’s out of control. I guess I’ll have to bring my bigger board tomorrow.”

San Clemente’s Mike Parsons, who is known for his big wave riding and is one of the county’s few surfers who makes annual surf trips to Mavericks near Santa Cruz, said he felt at home in the large surf. Nevertheless, when Parsons saw how big the waves were, he knew his six-foot six-inch board would not do.

“Fortunately I was able to ring my friend Simon Law and he brought me down a larger board,” Parsons said. “I don’t recall ever seeing Huntington this big. And it’s good to see such good waves for such a premier event like this.”

Because of the size of the surf and the severity of the riptides, judges allowed surfers to enter the water 15 minutes early so they could be in position when their heat started.

Three-time world champion Tom Curren, 32, who also advanced, said he was happy with the big surf, but said it was a little scary out there.

“I’ve never seen Huntington Beach this big,” said Curren. “It was the total opposite of the Katin a week ago, which was flat. At times, it seemed dangerous out there. You would catch a wave left and the rip would take you all the way down through the pier.”

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Surf’s Up

* What: The G-Shock U.S. Open of Surfing

* Where: Huntington Beach, south of the pier

* When: Today through Sunday. Competition is 7 a.m.-5 p.m. each day except Sunday, when it’s 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

* Today’s schedule: Men’s surfing trials and main event Round 1, bodyboarding quarterfinals and main event, longboarding main event, Wahine women’s quarterfinals and semifinals

* Tickets: Free sand and bleacher seating for all days of the competition; however, premium stadium seating packages available for Saturday and Sunday.

* Website address: Surflink will provide regular scoring updates and photos during the competition at https://www.surflink.com