BRETT SIMPSON WINS US OPEN OF SURFING

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Sunday, July 26, 2009) – Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach, CA), 24, has claimed the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing over former ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (Coolangatta, AUS), 28, in front of an ecstatic hometown crowd, netting surfing’s biggest victory purse ever – US$100,000.

An event that will go down in surfing history, the 2009 Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing was treated to incredible surf (waves reaching as high as ten-to-twelve feet), an unprecedented number of elite ASP Dream Tour competitors in attendance as well as the biggest winner’s prize in surfing history. The young local’s emphatic victory in front of the hundreds of thousands on the beach provided the storybook ending and vaulted the event to unprecedented heights.

Simpson wasted no time in putting his opponent on the ropes in the Final, collecting a 6.83, a 7.83 and a 9.10 in the opening half of the heat with razor-sharp turns, explosive aerial maneuvers and a supernatural rapport with the Huntington Beach sandbanks.

“I knew the tide was coming up and there weren’t going to be as many waves,” Simpson said. “I knew I needed a quick start. We (Mick Fanning and I) both got off to pretty quick starts. We both picked up some good scores off the bat and I was able to build a little momentum throughout my opening waves. I couldn’t believe it when the heat finished – I’m still at a loss. I can’t ask for more than to beat Mick Fanning in the Final at home. With that, and the $100,000 and the 2,500 ’QS points, I’m nearly in tears at the moment.”

Each one of Simpson’s maneuvers was met with a thunder of cheers from the hundreds of thousands of spectators on the beach, and the young Californian’s win was caused an unparalleled eruption of excitement to ripple through the Hurley U.S. Open event site.

“When you’re riding on the ski in front of the crowd and you hear the applause it definitely pumps you up,” Simpson said. “Every time I was feeling a bit tired, the energy level of the crowd would lift me right up. It’s unbelievable to have all the support and my family and friends here with me. This is the best day of my life.”

In addition to taking away professional surfing’s biggest first prize in history (US$100,000), Simpson earned 2,500 ASP WQS points solidifying his campaign in the qualification race for the 2010 ASP Dream Tour. The progressive natural-footer is in excellent position for a berth next season at professional surfing’s most elite level, the ASP World Tour.

“I don’t know what to say,” Simpson said. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m just stoked. It’s my best result ever. It’s so important to my qualifying campaign and such a huge boost of confidence to me. My goal has always been to compete on the World Tour and I’m definitely focused on finishing the season strong. I don’t know what else to say. I’m really excited and I can’t wait for the rest of the year.”

Fanning was in phenomenal form this morning, eliminating two fellow ASP World Tour campaigners en route to his Finals berth, but the current ASP World No. 7 was unable to navigate the decreasing afternoon conditions. Despite missing out on the US$100,000 first prize, the Australian exhibited true sportsmanship, congratulating Simpson as well as the event.

“It’s been an amazing week for me,” Fanning said. “I haven’t been here for seven years and to come back into an event like this is just amazing. The setup, the crowd, the waves, it’s all been a dream. Congratulations to Brett (Simpson), he’s a true champion and we look forward to seeing him next year on tour.”

Adriano de Souza (Sao Paulo, BRA), 22, former ASP World Junior Champion (2004) and current ASP World No. 3, caused the upset of the event this morning, defeating nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL), 37, in Quarterfinal 3. Despite the impressive feat, the young Brazilian was unable to overcome a rampaging Fanning in the Semifinals.

“I’m disappointed that I couldn’t find the waves against Mick (Fanning),” De Souza said. “It’s still a great event – so many people and good waves, sunny. Obviously, my highlight was beating Kelly (Slater) this morning. There weren’t many waves in that heat, but I was able to get on the better ones and surf pretty well. Kelly can

C.J. Hobgood (Melbourne Beach, FL), 30, current No. 2 on the elite ASP World Tour ratings, was another ASP Dream Tour campaigner to shine at Huntington Beach. A consistent high-scorer throughout the rounds, Hobgood came up short to eventual winner Simpson in the Semifinals.

“I’m so stoked it all came together for this event,” Hobgood said. “All the people and the waves were great. I’m bummed I missed out on the Final, but I had a great week so I’m happy I came here.”

Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 23, who narrowly missed out on qualification for this season’s elite ASP Dream Tour, was another strong Southern California performer at the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing, finishing equal 5th, further solidifying his position within the Top 10 on the ASP WQS ratings.

The next stop for the men on the 2009 ASP WQS will be the ASP WQS 5-Star Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans from August 4 – 9, 2009 in Newquay, England.

Running in conjunction with the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing was the ASP Grade-2 Nike 6.0 Pro Junior, Stop No. 5 of 9 on the 2009 ASP North America Pro Junior Series. Today’s Final was an incredible assemblage of global talent, with Kai Barger (HAW), 19, taking the big win over Tonino Benson (HAW), 19, Dillon Perillo (Malibu, CA), 19, and Nat Young (Santa Cruz, CA), 18.

Barger, reigning ASP World Junior Champion, went on an absolute rampage in the star-studded junior Final, smashing both rights and lefts to net an impressive 15.50 out of a possible 20.

“This is hands down the best contest ever,” Barger said. “Biggest crowd, great waves, lots of sun, big money. Best event ever. I don’t really go out into heats thinking about what I need or what I want to accomplish. I go out to win. That’s what I did out there today and I’m having a great year!”

Highlights from the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing are available at www.usopenofsurfing.com

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com and www.aspnorthamerica.org


Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing Results: ASP WQS 6-Star Men’s Event

Final: Winner Receives US$100,000
1 – Brett Simpson (USA) 16.93
2 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.50

Semifinals: 4 surfers remaining (winner advances)
SF 1: Brett Simpson (USA) 13.00 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.90
SF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.07 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 10.47

Quarterfinals: 8 surfers remaining (winner advances)
QF 1: Brett Simpson (USA) 13.50 def. Nathaniel Curran (USA) 10.27
QF 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.76 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.77
QF 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.10 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 10.00
QF 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.27 def. Michel Bourez (USA) 12.40

Nike 6.0 Pro Junior Results: ASP Grade-2 Pro Junior
1 – Kai Barger (HAW) 15.50
2 – Tonino Benson (HAW) 14.30
3 – Dillon Perillo (USA) 12.53
4 – Nat Young (USA) 9.53

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Courtney Conlogue Wins US Open Womens Event

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Saturday, July 25, 2009) – Courtney Conlogue (Santa Ana, CA), 15, won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Hurley U.S. Open today over defending event champion Malia Manuel (Wailua, HI), 15, who claimed the U.S. Open Nike 6.0 Pro Junior, in a high-scoring Final in six-to-eight foot (2 metre) surf today at South Huntington Beach Pier.

Surfers competing at the prestigious Hurley U.S. Open event are battling for the important ratings points on offer towards qualification for the ASP World Tour.

Conlogue won the hard-fought battle over the young Hawaiian with huge backside blasts on the steep lefthanders in the Final to log a 9.00 and an 8.17 in her score line, placing the defending champion in a combination situation. Each of the impressive scores earned by the Huntington Beach local were awarded with one single maneuver, allowing her to take out her first major ASP WQS victory.

“I’m pretty much speechless,” Conlogue said. “Malia (Manuel), she’s an amazing surfer and to win that heat was to die for. I want to thank Malia for putting on a good Final with me. I’m so stoked to have had that Final with her. I was just going out there and having fun and that’s what I’ve been doing this whole contest and it ended up working out. I’m going to try and carry that throughout all of my contests this year.”

The young American’s victory today solidifies her as a threat to the rest of the world’s finest competitive surfing talent and continues to establish the explosive regular-footer as a frontrunner in the women’s progressive surfing movement. After completing her educational goals, Conlogue expects to set her sights on the Women’s ASP World tour.

“I’ve got to finish school first, but definitely the ASP World Tour is coming soon enough,” Conlogue said.

Malia Manuel put on a banner performance throughout the entire Hurley U.S. Open, and claimed the U.S. Open Nike 6.0 Pro Junior en route to her runner-up ASP WQS finish. Manuel’s Final berth was no easy feat, as she defeated reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (Tweed Heads, AUS), 21, in the women’s main event.

“I’m so over the moon even to make it to the final day,” Manuel said. “It was great out there. Courtney is an amazing athlete and she was the deserving heat winner.”

Manuel took out her U.S. Open Nike 6.0 Pro Junior title in dramatic fashion when she nabbed a last-minute wave to overtake the win over Sage Erickson (Ojai, CA), 18, who finished in second, defeating fellow finalists Cannelle Bulard (REU), who finished in third and current ASP World Tour rookie Coco Ho (Sunset Beach, HI), 18, who finished fourth.

“I’m glad I had the Pro Junior to fall back on,” Manuel said. “Surfing against Coco (Ho) was great and Sage (Erickson) almost had it in the bag and some miraculous wave came and I got to pick it up and got a score. I’m just happy to be here today and surf in both finals.”

The young regular-footer is now ready to start gaining more ASP WQS experience to eventually make a push towards qualification for the ASP Women’s World Tour.

“I think it’s time to put my foot through the door and do a couple of WQS events,” Manuel said. “I’m in no rush, I’m only 15, so I’m just going to get some experience going on and hope for the best and hopefully in a couple of years I’ll be doing what Coco (Ho) and Steph (Gilmore) are doing right now."

Men’s Hurley U.S. Open competition started the day off today and witnessed reining nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL), 37, blast a perfect 10-point-ride with a committing backside barrel to continue his campaign as the frontrunner of Hurley U.S. Open action. The Floridian Champion followed up the score with an 8.50 to notch the highest heat total of ASP WQS 6-Star competition for the second consecutive day.

“I’m stoked,” Slater said. “There are big, huge, walled close-outs, but there are a few corners out there. The tide is coming in and it’s not as hollow as this morning, there were probably a few barrels out there. That first one I got was so big, it just barreled. I started grabbing rail as I was going down the face, and doing a slow, long bottom turn, trying to brush off some speed. I was thinking, did I dork this, because for I second I didn’t think it was going to barrel. Then it started to pitch. I was starting to think I would look really silly trying to grab rail mid-face on a wave that didn’t barrel. I was hoping I could get out of it and get a hit, but it was just too quick.”

Tomorrow will conclude Hurley U.S. Open action and will crown men’s ASP WQS and U.S. Open Nike 6.0 Pro Junior Champions by day’s end.

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All the Top Dogs are in Town Come by and Get Their Autographs!

Come on down and meet all your surf heroes at HSS @ 300 Pacific Coast Highway (corner of PCH & Main)
While you're down here check out all the latest Hurley US Open of Surfing stuff!

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US Open of Surfing Kicks Off July 18th

What’s the closest thing to watching the world’s best surfers compete in a full-on stadium atmosphere? Look no further than Huntington Beach in July, when up to 500,000 people will find their way to the real Surf City, post up in the sand and cheer on their heroes at the Pier. It’s been that way for 50 years now, starting with the US Championships in 1959 and evolving to today: the Hurley US Open of Surfing®.

As the new title sponsor of this storied event, Hurley and its partners intend to make it a life-changing experience from dawn to dusk: Late-afternoon concerts. Hurley’s Walk the Walk fashion competition. Elite-level BMX courtesy of Nike 6.0. The best skateboarders courtesy of Converse and Red Bull. And a swarm of activity, demonstrations and booths surrounding our “50 Years at the Pier” celebration.

Of course, center stage will be reserved for the ocean, where both men and women will be competing for points, prize money and HB glory in the title event, the Hurley US Open of Surfing®. As a six-star ASP qualifier at the mid-way point in the season, the winner here often goes on to the coveted Dream Tour. Case in point: last year’s US Open Men’s Champ Nathaniel Curran, who ended up winning the 2008 World Qualifying Series and is now a rookie in the elite Top 45. Along with the six-star, Nike 6.0 will be holding an ASP Pro Junior event — another important challenge on the path to become the 20-and-under world junior champion. Rounding out the center stage will be a celebration of the world’s top longboarders in a soon-to-be announced format that will certainly have the crowd cheering for more.

In addition to all of this, the Hurley US Open, in conjunction with the World Professional Surfers athlete union, will be introducing the first-ever WPS All Stars event. This will include participation from 10 of the world’s best surfers voted on by you – the fans. They will surf in the event, sign autographs and blow us away in a special-format expression session that must be seen to be believed.

This isn’t just the closest thing to a stadium; it is a stadium. The only place to witness a gathering of the world’s most talented action sports stars all in one stretch of sand. As local favorite Brett Simpson says, “Competing in the US Open is one event I look forward to all year — there’s no other event like it, really. The crowds, the activity, the excitement…it’s like you have no choice but to perform at your very best.”

Find the full event schedule online at the USOpenofSurfing.com

Grab all your official US Open gear online at HSSsurf.com

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