Locals to vie for men’s title

Mike Sciacca

When the world’s elite surfers begin gathering in Huntington Beach

Saturday, a handful of Laguna Beach athletes will be among the 500

expected to compete at the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by

O’Neill. The surf contest is the feature event of the Bank of the

West Beach Games and will take place at the south side of the

Huntington Beach Pier.

Laguna’s Mike Todd, Pat O’Connell and Bron Heussenstamm will

compete for the men’s U.S. Open title.

Heussenstamm will return from Costa Rica on Sunday, then head to

Huntington for the U.S. Open of Surfing.

Competition begins Saturday with early qualification rounds and

continues through the coming week, all leading up to the men’s

semifinals and final on Aug. 1.

“It’s just a great event and right in our own backyard,” Todd

said. “I’m excited about competing.”

The event is estimated to host more than 600 athletes from across

the globe -- and attract an estimated 300,000 spectators -- over an

eight-day period by combining surfing, action sports, music, exhibits

and vendor booths.

“We’re back and bigger than ever,” said James Leitz, vice

president for International Management Group X Sports, which took

over the event in 2001. “There’s so many great things this city has

to offer an event like this. It’s the atmosphere, the waves, the

world famous pier, the history, the surf industry -- it’s all here. I

don’t know where else you can find all those assets in one place.”

The transformation of the south side will turn a blank canvas into

a massive festival area that will house 85 vendor booths -- which is

up from last year’s total -- and an interactive lifestyle festival

featuring the TransWorld Surf Village, Honda Base Camp, Philips

Vortex, PlayStation Gaming Lounge and Paul Mitchell “Cut-a-Thon.”

Other activities include daily athlete autograph-signings, dance

contests, DJs, guest emcees and prize giveaways.

Teen Vogue “Fashion Live,” a fashion show displaying the latest in

beach attire, returns on July 29.

Live regional and national musical acts will perform on the Bank

of the West Concert Stage on Friday and Saturday afternoons, from 4

to 7 p.m. beginning July 30.

Nearly 13 acres of beach is being used for the event site.

The U.S. Open of Surfing is North America’s highest-rated

qualifying event and the world’s largest surfing competition.

Surfers will compete for a $175,000 purse.

Other divisions include the O’Neill U.S. Open of Longboarding and

Lost Pro Junior.

Action sports joins surfing in the spotlight, as some of the

world’s best skateboarders and BMX riders will be competing for a

combined purse of $50,000 Thursday through Aug. 1.

The innovative Philips Key Ring “Soul Bowl,” which measures 68

feet long, 46 feet wide and 13 feet deep, and constructed of Finnish

birch, will be home to the action sports competitions.

New to this year’s games is the King and Queen of the Beach

professional volleyball tournament, which will be held July 30 and 31

at the north side of the pier.

The competition will feature up-and-comers against legendary names

such as Adam Johnson, David Swatik, Lia Young and Karrie Poppinga.

The tournament will pay homage to beach volleyball competitions of

old by playing on larger courts with traditional beach rules being

used.

Also new to the games is the Freestyle Motocross Ramp to Ramp Air

Show, which will be played south of the Soul Bowl in a 300- by

50-foot area.

Three shows will run daily on July 30 and 31.