Todd tips 48; O’Connell in game

Mike Todd turned in several strong performances at the 2006 U.S. Open of Surfing men’s competition last week, where he advanced to the Round of 48 before being eliminated from title contention.

The Bank of the West Beach Games featuring the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing wrapped up 11 days of competition Sunday at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Todd, 25, emerged from the Round of 96 by finishing second to Adriano de Souza of Brazil in a four-man heat.

The top two finishers in each heat advance to the next round.

Todd, who said he felt “really good out there” after winning his opening heat on July 25, finished third in his four-man heat in the Round of 48. He placed behind heat winner Victor Ribas of Brazil and second-place Ben Dunn of Australia, both of whom advanced to the Round of 24.

Laguna’s Pat O’Connell, who won his opening round heat in the men’s competition on July 24 but was eliminated from title contention the following day, won the surfing division of the PartyPoker.net Big ThrowDown at the Bank of the West Beach Games.

PartyPoker.net Big ThrowDown is an action sports poker tournament that pits players from different action sports — surfing, BMX, FMX, wakeboarding, snowboarding and skateboarding — against each other. O’Connell qualified for the grand finale of the Texas Hold ‘em poker tournament by winning the surfing division title. He beat out world-class surfers Benji Weatherley, Fred Patacchia, Bobby Martinez, Shaun Ward and Timmy Reyes, for the division crown.

O’Connell will battle five other division winners — Josh Sanders (wakeboarding), Danny Kass (snowboarding), Dennis McCoy (BMX), Sergie Ventura (skateboarding) and Jeff Tilton (FMX) — as well as two consumer promotion winners, at next week’s Tournament of Champions.

In the beach game’s main event Sunday, Rob Machado of Cardiff won the $125,00 Honda U.S. Open of Surfing men’s title, making him the division’s first three-time winner. The 32-year-old was runner-up last year to 2005 champion Andy Irons of Hawaii.

Also Sunday, Dodger Kremel of Huntington Beach won the $10,000 O’Neill U.S. Open of Longboarding. Dunn, who finished ahead of Todd in the men’s Round of 48, also won the $10,000 Lost Pro Junior title. Dunn and Tory Meister of Hawaii tied for the top spot with 16.00 points apiece, but Dunn was awarded the title via a tiebreaker.

On Saturday, former world champion Sofia Mulanovich of Peru won the $30,000 Honda Women’s U.S. Open of the Surfing, and Lee Ann Curren, of France and California and the daughter of former world champion Tom Curren, won the $20,000 Target Women’s Junior Pro.

More than 600 athletes competed in surfing, skateboarding, BMX, FMX and the Karch Kiraly Invitational beach volleyball tournament during the 11 days of the beach games.

James Leitz, executive promoter of the games and vice president of International Management Group Action Sports, said that more than 400,000 spectators visited the 15 acres that housed the beach games over the 11-day period.

“It was bigger and better than last year,” he said of this year’s games. “The level of talent among the athletes at all levels was outstanding.”

Roll Call of Champions

U.S. Open of Surfing Men

2006: Rob Machado (Cardiff)

2005: Andy Irons (Hawaii)

2004: Taj Burrow (Australia)

2003: Cory Lopez (Florida)

2002: Kalani Robb (Hawaii)

2001: Rob Machado (Cardiff)

2000: Sunny Garcia (Hawaii)

1999: Shea Lopez (San Clemente)

1998: Andy Irons (Hawaii)

1997: Beau Emerton (Australia)

1996: Kelly Slater (Florida)

1995: Rob Machado (Cardiff)

1994: Shane Beschen (San Clemente)

U.S. Open of Surfing Women

2006: Sofia Mulanovich (Peru)

2005: Julia Christian (San Diego)

2004: Chelsea Georgeson (Australia)

2003: Chelsea Georgeson (Australia)

2002: Pauline Menczer (Australia)

2001: Pauline Menczer (Australia)

2000: Tita Tavares (Brazil)

1999: Keala Kennelly (Hawaii)

1998: Tita Tavares (Brazil)

1997: Lisa Andersen (Florida)

1996: Layne Beachley (Australia)

1995: Neridah Falconer (Australia)

1994: Lisa Andersen (Florida)

Men’s Junior Pro

2006: Ben Dunn (Australia)

2005: Hank Gaskell (Hawaii)

2004: Adriano de Souza (Brazil)

2003: Kekoa Bacalso (Hawaii)

2002: Kekoa Bacalso (Hawaii)

2001: Bobby Martinez (Santa Barbara)

2000: Paulo Moura (Brazil)

1999: Travis Logie (South Africa)

Women’s Junior Pro

2006: Lee Ann Curren (France/California)

2005: Nikita Robb (South Africa)

U.S. Open of Longboarding

2006: Dodger Kremel (Huntington Beach)

2005: Joel Tudor (Del Mar)

2004: Brendan White (San Clemente)

2003: Taylor Jensen (Imperial Beach)

2002: Joel Tudor (Del Mar)

2001: Josh Baxter (San Clemente)

2000: Joel Tudor (Cardiff)

1999: Joel Tudor (Cardiff)

1998: Joel Tudor (Cardiff)

1997: Joel Tudor (Cardiff)

1996: Joel Tudor (Cardiff)

1995: Joel Tudor (Cardiff)

1994: Colin McPhillips (Capistrano Beach)

U.S. Open of Bodyboarding

1999: Guilherme Tamega (Brazil)

1998: Guilherme Tamega (Brazil)

1997: Brian Wise (San Clemente)

1996: Ben Holland (Australia)

1995: Spencer Skipper (Hawaii)

1994: Guilherme Tamega (Brazil)

Women’s Bodyboarding

2001: Daniela Freitas (Brazil)

1996: Daniela Freitas (Brazil)