Ready to board

Mike Sciacca

Mike Todd, Pat O’Connell and Bron Heussenstamm have been in this game

before, yet each is looking to capture his first U.S. Open of Surfing

men’s title when the Bank of the West Beach Games and Honda U.S. Open

of Surfing presented by O’Neill gets underway Saturday.

The three begin competing for the crown next week in Huntington

Beach.

Mike Todd

Hometown: Laguna Beach

High School: Laguna Beach (Class of 1999)

Years as professional surfer: Three

Career highlights: U.S. Junior champion in 2000; fifth place at

Hansen’s Pipe Pro in 2001 and 2003; National Scholastic Surfing Assn.

Open Men’s and Explorers Southwest Conference champion; first place

at 2000 Vans off the Wall contest, second in 2001.

Years competing at U.S. Open of Surfing: “Too many to count,” Todd

said. “I’ve been entering since I was 16.”

Best finish at U.S. Open of Surfing: “I have never done well

competing in Huntington Beach as a pro but won a few events as an

amateur.”

What makes the U.S. Open of Surfing so special? “I like Huntington

Beach because it’s home. It’s the only big event we have all year in

the U.S. You get to sleep in your own bed and have your friends and

family come up and cheer you on.”

Is the caliber of world competitors getting better each year? “The

level on tour is the highest it’s ever been, and it’s getting better

every year. It’s amazing how good the young guys coming up are.”

Where would you like to see professional surfing go from where it

stands now? “I think that it’s going pretty well, but I would like to

see the schedule worked on. It’s pretty mixed up at the moment. They

got us doing a lot of backtracking.”

How often are you traveling worldwide for competitions? “I travel

a lot. It feels like I’m gone every week, but I travel probably, on

average, one week a month.”

Pat O’Connell

Hometown: Laguna Beach

High School: Dana Hills (class of 1989)

Years as professional surfer: 14

Current world ranking: 19

Career highlights: Ranked 11th in world in 1998; top 44 for 10

years.

Years competing at U.S. Open of Surfing: 14

Best finish: Third, 1998

What makes the U.S. Open in Huntington Beach so special? “I can

remember when it was the Op Pro, and all the top guys would come.

After the event, you felt like you were a better surfer just from

watching.”

Is the caliber of world competitors getting better each year? “The

level is great now. The kids are surfing awesome, so it’s pretty

inspirational.”

Where would you like to see professional surfing go from where it

stands now? “I’m happy to see that surfing is now getting some

television coverage, although I don’t think that anyone has really

tapped into it correctly.

How often are you traveling worldwide for competitions? “I’m

usually on the road anywhere from six to eight months a year.”

Bron Heussenstamm

Hometown: Laguna Beach

High School: Laguna Beach (Class of 1997)

Career Highlights: Body Glove Pro champion in 2002; member of

Saddleback College surf team that won 2002 National Scholastic Surf

Assn. national championship; ranked second in 2002 Pro Surfing Tour

of America; credited with founding “The Union,” an association of

young American pros, including Todd, which aims to unify American

surfers on tour and advance the sport and spirit of surfing among the

nation’s youth through surf contests, events and promotions.