U.S. OPEN OF SURFING: Let the waves begin

When the U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill offers its 15th year of competition Friday, it will do so boasting its most diverse and largest field of competitors.

Rippers from around the globe will be after the same prize: the glory of winning on one of the biggest surfing stages in the world.

Founded in 1994, the U.S. Open of Surfing spearheads Go211 Live and runs through July 27 at the Huntington Beach Pier. In addition to having the top pro surfers on the ASP World Tour and amateurs world-wide vying in various surfing competitions, an array of sports action activities will take place on 16.5 acres south of the pier. BMX and skateboarding competitions and events, staged in the Soul Bowl, as well as FMX events, begin July 24. The festival surf village also opens July 24.

Go211 Live featuring surfing, skateboarding, BMX and FMX with live concerts and an interactive lifestyle festival setting, is the longest-running action sport and lifestyle festival in the state.

“It’s really big,” James Leitz, vice president of International Management Group, owners of the U.S. Open of Surfing, said of the 10-day affair.

IMG, the world’s premiere sports, entertainment and media company, has 60 offices in 30 countries.

“When it comes to surfing, the U.S. Open is rooted in the heritage, history and legacy of surfing in Huntington Beach. This is the time of year for surfers around the world to make their annual pilgrimage here. They come here looking to add their name to a long list of pervious winners, and have the opportunity to be carried across the beach on the shoulders of the massive crowd after winning a U.S. Open title.”

Leitz said the south side of the pier began its transformation July 7. By Tuesday, the FMX floor has been laid, and the street course and Soul Bowl were in the process of being built.

Sanctioned surfing events include men’s and women’s pro and junior divisions, and longboarding.

The U.S. Open of Surfing is the highest-rated qualifying contest in North America. This year, 516 athletes worldwide representing 28 counties are expected in Surf City for the 10-day event.

In the Honda Men’s U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill, 192 competitors are entered in the main event, 96 more in the trials which begin Friday and 30 more, are on the alternate list.

Several local athletes will go up against world-class competitors. Among the locals entered in this year’s event are Timmy Reyes and Brett Simpson. Reyes, 26, currently is rated No. 11 on the World Tour and is seeking his first U.S. Open title. Simpson, 23, is rated 15th in the World Qualifying Series and a strong showing on his home turf would go a long way toward his advancing to the 2009 World Tour.

C.J. Hobgood of Florida won his first U.S. Open Men’s title last July. Cory Lopez, also of Florida and the 2003 men’s champ, is in a standout field that includes, among others, Chris Ward (USA), 2000 winner Sunny Garcia (Hawaii) and Patrick Gudauskas of San Clemente who is ranked No. 1 on the World Qualifying Series.

Locals at times have been known to make a splash in various events at the U.S. Open, as was the case last year, when Huntington Beach High grad and Seal Beach resident Chris Waring, finished second to Tonino Benson of Hawaii in the Lost Pro Junior final.

Two years ago, Huntington’s Dodger Kremel emerged from a star-studded final four, to win the longboarding crown.

This year’s women’s division, featuring 60 competitors, is just as impressive as the men’s. Three wold champions — Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) and Layne Beachley (Australia), 16 of the top 18 on the ASP World Tour and nine of the top 10 in the current WQS rankings, will battle it out for the crown.

Gilmore won the women’s U.S. Open title last year, succeeding Mulanovich who captured the prize in 2006.

Mulanovich and Gilmore currently rank 1-2 on the World Tour.

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EVENT LISTINGS

Below is a listing of free events for the coming week for the U.S. Open of Surfing Presented by O’Neill at the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier. Admission is free.

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Friday

Surf Stadium

8 a.m.: U.S. Open Men (round of 96, heats 1-16)

8 a.m.: Boys Junior Pro (round of 96, heats 1-12)

1 p.m.: Pac Sun’s Battle of the Brands (USA Surf Team)

1:20 p.m.: U.S. Open Men (round of 64, heats 1-8)

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Saturday

(Surf Stadium)

8 a.m.: U.S. Open Men (round of 64, heats 9-16)

8 a.m.: Boys Junior Pro (round of 96 (heats 13-16)

9:20 p.m.: Boys Junior Pro (round of 64, heats 1-16)

10:40 a.m.: U.S. Open Men (round of 32, heats 1-8)

1:20 p.m.: U.S. Open Longboarding? (round of 56, heats 1-4)

2:40 p.m.: U.S. Open Longboarding (round of 48, heats 1-4)

2:40 p.m.: Supergirl? Junior Pro (round of 16, heats 1-4)

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Sunday

(Surf Stadium)

8 a.m.: U.S. Open Men (quarterfinals, heats 1-4)

8 a.m.: Supergirl Junior Pro (semifinals, heats 1-2)

8:40 a.m.: Boys Junior Pro (round of 32, heats 1-8)

9:20 a.m.: U.S. Open Longboarding (round of 48, heats 5-8)

10:40 a.m.: U.S. Open Longboarding (round of 32, heats 1-8)

11:20 a.m.: Boys Junior Pro (quarterfinals, heats 1-4)

12:40 p.m.: Boys Junior Pro (semifinals, heats 1-2)

1:20 p.m.: U.S. Open Longboarding (quarterfinals, heats 1-4)

2:40 p.m.: U.S. Open Longboarding (semifinals, heats 1-2)

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Monday

(Surf Stadium)

7:30 a.m.: U.S. Open Men (round of 192, heats 1-24)

Tuesday

Surf Stadium

7:30 a.m.: U.S. Open Men (round of 144, heats 1-24)

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Wednesday

(Surf Stadium)

7:30 a.m.: U.S. Open Women (round of 60, heats 1-6)

9:30 a.m.: U.S. Open Women (round of 48, heats 1-12)

1:30 p.m.: U.S. Open Women (round of 24, heats 1-6)

MIKE SCIACCA may be reached at (714) 966-4611 or at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.