Surf City Is Riding Crest of Popularity With Contest

Whether they were cheering on competitors, gawking at surfing pros, or simply enjoying an afternoon at the beach, thousands of people showed up Saturday at the U.S. Open surf contest.

Young girls with tan bodies and slinky tops, muscled guys with sun-bleached hair and parents pushing strollers or towing children filed past dozens of vendor tents to view the G-Shock U.S. Open of Surfing.

Although the waves were good--about two to four feet--heavy clouds hovered over the beach in the morning making the air muggy and sunless. But by afternoon, the cloud layer had burned off, bringing out the sun and the crowds.

Police said roughly 30,000 people attended the tournament and got to see top surfers such as Kelly Slater and three-time world champion Tom Curren compete.

In all, organizers said they expected 350,000 to attend the tournament, which began on Wednesday and ends today.

An ongoing pier construction project that wiped out 600 prime parking spots didn’t seem to keep too many spectators away.

“Parking nightmare?” asked Tina Lustig, who visited the beach with her husband, Steve, and their two young children. “What parking nightmare? There were plenty of spaces.”

Many of the fans, such as 19-year-old Katie Costelo, had a personal connection with the surfers.

Costelo and a clan of girlfriends gathered early, front and center, on the bleachers to watch her boyfriend, Conan, compete.

Watching Conan, of course, was the main attraction, but the girls were also eager to get some shopping in and soak up the fun.

“It’s like there’s a lot of energy here,” said 17-year-old Summer Wheeler of Aliso Viejo. “Everybody comes here to watch.”

Lisa Curran was not only watching her nephew Tim Curran compete but also keeping a close eye on her 1-year-old daughter, Sara, who wandered through the crowds at high speed.

Surfing is a family thing for the Currans, as her husband, Anthony, films surf videos for specialty shops.

“This is kind of a way of life for us,” said Lisa Curran.

For amateur surfer Anthony Feolo, 16, the tournament offered an opportunity to watch the pros and work on his technique.

Feolo drives from Lakewood to Huntington Beach every day of the summer for some surf action.

“I really like seeing the big guys,” said Feolo. “You can really learn a lot by just watching them.”

Indeed, it seemed there were many others like Feolo, elbowing their way through the water teeming with surfers, floating on their boards like black, shiny seals in the distance.

Though the waves may have been good for surfing, the strong side current and undertow caused by a tropical storm kept lifeguards such as Morgan Wolfe on alert.

On Tuesday, 19-year-old Mark White was body surfing when he suddenly disappeared in the waves, police said. Authorities still have not found his body and he is presumed drowned.

On Friday, lifeguards reported nearly 30 rescues. On Saturday, lifeguards reported no drownings or near drownings.

Still, many ventured too far and began to be sucked out to sea before they realized what was happening, said Wolfe.

“A lot of people who come in and don’t have fins and they don’t know how dangerous it can be,” said Wolfe. “They get in over their heads.”