U.S. Open of Surfing kicks off CS event on south side of Huntington Beach Pier

San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino‘s U.S. Open of Surfing memories have varied over the years.

The former National Scholastic Surfing Assn. prodigy, who won more titles than any male NSSA competitor with nine, finished as runner-up at the event on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in 2013.

Andino was 19 years old then. Now 30, he’s trying to find his way back after surfing for his country in the Tokyo Olympics but being bumped from the top-level Championship Tour in the middle of last year.

Kolohe Andino of San Clemente, left, greets fellow competitor Heitor Mueller after their heat at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“Winning it would be great,” Andino said Wednesday. “I’ve had a strange last three or four years, where I haven’t done very good. I’d just like to win some heats and get back on track, to where I feel like my surfing belongs.”

Hope springs eternal for Andino and others at the midsummer World Surf League Challenger Series event. The U.S. Open got underway Wednesday, with both men’s and women’s heats.

The men’s field was pared down from 80 to 64. The top two surfers in eight heats Wednesday moved on.

Ryan Huckabee completes a nose-pick air reverse during the U.S. Open of Surfing men’s main draw at the Huntington Beach Pier on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Andino finished second in his heat, advancing to Thursday’s action, which will feature 16 heats. His four-member heat, the last one of the day, will feature him against two-time U.S. Open winner and Huntington Beach local Kanoa Igarashi, as well as Morgan Cibilic of Australia and Charly Quivront of France.

Andino said he hopes to requalify for the CT. In the meantime, he’s established surf media station Two Percent, with a goal of documenting and fostering the San Clemente surf community.

“I feel like everything in the surf industry is upside down right now, so I’m just trying to make it right, really,” he said. “Less surfing for the masses, more watering your trees.”

Nanaho Tsuzuki cuts back on a wave during the U.S. Open of Surfing on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

The women’s competition also surfed eight heats Wednesday in the round of 48. It will resume with the round of 32 on Friday.

Local surfer Sara Freyre, an incoming senior at Huntington Beach High, came close to advancing. Freyre, who recently earned bronze in the U18 girls’ division at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in El Salvador, caught a good score of 6.13 late in her heat but finished third by half a point.

Sara Freyre of Huntington Beach cuts back on a wave during the U.S. Open of Surfing on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

The youngest surfer in either competition lived to surf another day. Louise Lepront of South Africa, 15, won her heat.

Lepront also earned bronze at the same World Junior Surfing Championships, in the U16 girls’ division. Now she’s competing in her first Challenger Series event away from her home country.

“I felt pretty good,” she said. “Lots of nerves, but stoked to make it through the heat. I’ve been here to Huntington Beach three times. It’s a very changing wave, so you’ve just got to work it out.”

Mihimana Braye flies off the foam as he completes a ride during the U.S. Open of Surfing on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Men’s round of 64 action is slated to start at 7:30 a.m. Thursday.

Meanwhile, in Tuesday’s action, Rachael Tilly and Taylor Jensen were crowned champions at the Huntington Beach Longboard Classic.