Todd doesn’t last long

Mike Todd ran into some interference at the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill, and it ended up costing the Laguna Beach resident a shot at advancing in the men’s competition.

Todd, 26, started the competition in great shape, winning his opening heat in the round of 144 on July 25 at the Huntington Beach Pier. In his second heat that day, which he called a “bad heat,” Todd was involved in a double interference. Later in the heat, with 10 seconds remaining, he was involved in another interference as he attempted to get a late wave score.

Todd wound up with a fourth-place finish in that heat which was won by Jeremy Flores of France. Matt Wilkinson of Australia was second and Chris Ward of San Clemente finished in third-place.

Flores was outstanding throughout the competition and the 19-year-old went on to reach the men’s final where he narrowly lost out to first-time men’s winner C.J. Hobgood of Florida.

In key contests prior to his surfing the U.S. Open, Todd, ranked 30th in the World Qualifying Series ratings, earned a trio of ninth-place finishes in events at the Hang Loose Pro in Brazil, Maitland Toyota Open at Newcastle, Australia and the Mr Price Pro at Durban, South Africa which he surfed in July.

He’s currently on a European leg of big contests that will have him competing over the next few weeks in Japan, England, France and Portugal.

More than 500 world-class surfers from a dozen countries competed in four divisions during the 10-day U.S. Open of Surfing.

A look at the division finals:

Women“This is the No. 1 trophy,” Stephanie Gilmore, 19, of Tweed Heads, Australia, told a television camera crew as she hoisted up part of the spoils from her victory in the women’s final Saturday.

Gilmore, ranked No. 1 on the women’s world tour, and Karina Petroni, her opponent in the women’s 30-minute final, shared the center stage podium following the competition.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic to be here,” Petroni, of Atlantic Beach, Fla., said. “I’m overjoyed to be standing up here with my best friend of 10 years.”

Their friendship was evident during the final, as the two shared waves, laughed and seemed to enjoy the moment, as they waited side-by-side near the pier for good surf to roll in.

Gilmore won the final with a score of 14.64 points. Petroni scored 11.50.

“This is huge and I’m honored to be a part of this,” said Gilmore, who had reached the final by holding off Santa Ana’s Courtney Conlogue, 14, in a tightly-contested semifinal heat held earlier Saturday.

Petroni qualified for the final by defeating Sally Fitzgibbons, 16, of Gerroa, Australia, in Saturday’s other semifinal.

Gilmore’s triumph marked the seventh time since 1994 that an Australian has won the women’s final.

Lost Pro JuniorTonino Benson of Kona, Hawaii, became the fourth Hawaiian in the last seven years to win the junior final and, at 17, was the youngest competitor in the final.

“It feels great,” he said of Sunday’s victory. “I’ve been training really hard and it paid off.”

Benson won his first open title with a score of 13.94. He edged out Chris Waring of Seal Beach who was second with 12.87 points. Jordy Smith (South Africa, 12.17) and Mason Ho (Hawaii, 11.77) were third and fourth, respectively.

LongboardingColin McPhillips said he was the “old man” of the group, but experience paid dividends for the 32-year-old, who won his second U.S. Open title Sunday.

The San Clemente resident, a three-time longboard world champion, won the very first U.S. Open of Longboarding final in 1994.

“That was my first pro event win and I was 17,” said McPhillips who has been sponsor-less this past year and teaches private surf lessons.

Since that victory, McPhillips had one third- and one fourth-place finish at the U.S. Open and for the past five years, said he has finished runner-up.

“I was long overdue,” he chuckled. “My theory today was to get a couple of waves by myself right off the bat, and I did that.”

He turned in the highest wave score during Sunday’s final (9.17), took the lead early over finalists Taylor Jensen (Oceanside), Cole Robbins (Oceanside) and Kai Sallas (Waikiki, HI.), and never relinquished it.

For Robbins, it was the first finals appearance for the 16-year-old.

“I wasn’t expecting to make it through my first heat, so I’m stoked to make the final,” he said.

MenMoments after winning his first U.S. Open title Sunday — he had never advanced past the quarterfinal round in a decade of competing here — C.J. Hobgood was playing with his two-year-old daughter, Genevieve, away from the hoopla all around him.

Hobgood, who resides in Satellite Beach, became the first Floridian in four years to win the men’s final and third overall: Cory Lopez turned the trick in 2003 and Kelly Slater set the standard in 1996.

“Besides a lot of joy,” he said, after tossing his daughter softly into the air, “I feel overwhelmed winning this thing. All the people I looked up to have won this contest. I remember seeing them on this big stage when I was younger, people like Kalani Robb, Kelly Slater, Shane Beschen. It feels like a dream, to follow in their footsteps.”

Hobgood (12.60 points) defeated Jeremy Flores (11.17) of Hossegor, France, in Sunday’s final.

“I know the surf was bad but to be able to surf before a huge crowd that is so knowledgeable about surfing and wants you to win, well, that feels incredible,” Hobgood said. “And to know that people were cheering for me, knowing that Jeremy might be the underdog — and everyone tends to root for the underdog — well that was a cool thing. It humbles me.”