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US Open of Surfing facts for kids

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Coco Ho (2015)
Coco Ho surfing at the U.S. Open of Surfing in 2015

The U.S. Open of Surfing is a huge surfing contest held every summer in Huntington Beach, California. It lasts for about a week. This big event usually takes place on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier. It's a key part of the qualification process for the World Surf League, which is like the major league for surfing. It's known as the biggest surfing competition in the world! A company called IMG has owned and organized it since the year 2000.

During the event, special ceremonies happen. Famous people from the surfing world are honored. They get added to the Surfing Walk of Fame and the Surfers' Hall of Fame. Both of these special places are right across from the pier.

History of the Event

The U.S. Open of Surfing started a long time ago in 1959. Back then, it was called the West Coast Surfing Championship. In 1964, its name changed to the United States Surfing Championships. Later, in 1982, it became known as the OP Pro because of its sponsor, Ocean Pacific. Finally, in 1994, it got its current name, the U.S. Open of Surfing.

The contest used to be held around Labor Day weekend. However, the date was moved earlier after some crowd disturbances happened at the 1986 event. More crowd issues occurred at the 2013 U.S. Open. When people were leaving the event, some unruly behavior led to property damage and arrests. Because of this, the event owners decided to stop having things like free concerts in 2014. They wanted to focus more on the surfing sport itself.

This nine-day event brings a lot of money to the local area. It adds about $21.5 million to the economy of Orange County. About $16.4 million of that goes directly to Huntington Beach. Nearly 500,000 people come to watch the U.S. Open of Surfing each year.

Recent Champions

Many amazing surfers have won the U.S. Open over the years. Here are some of the recent champions:

Surfing Awards and Honors

Each year during the U.S. Open, special awards are given out. People are inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame and the Surfers' Hall of Fame. The Walk of Fame has plaques set into the sidewalk. The Hall of Fame has handprints of famous surfers. Both are located across the street from each other, near the Huntington Beach Pier.

Surfing Walk of Fame

The Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach honors people in different groups. These groups include surf pioneers, surfing champions, local heroes, surf culture contributors, woman of the year, and an honor roll. To be chosen for these awards, people must meet certain requirements:

  • A surf champion must have won world championships or major events, especially those in Huntington Beach.
  • The Woman of the Year is chosen based on votes from people in the other categories.
  • Local Hero award winners have either lived in Huntington Beach for ten years or graduated from the Huntington Beach Union High School District. They also must have been finalists in surfing contests, helped the local surf culture, been pioneers in the city, or won the annual Huntington Beach City Championships.

Many legends of surfing have been honored here, with their names and achievements celebrated for everyone to see.

Surfers' Hall of Fame

The Surfers' Hall of Fame also honors important people in surfing. Inductees leave their handprints, making a lasting mark. This is another way to celebrate the amazing athletes and figures who have shaped the world of surfing.

Some of the recent inductees include:

  • 2024: Jeff Deffenbaugh, Jamie O’Brien, Ilima Kalama, Sugar the Surfing Dog
  • 2022: Peter Mel, Martin Daly, Michele Turner
  • 2019: Janice Aragon, Kai Lenny, Sam Hawk
  • 2018: Ben Aipa, Herbie Fletcher, Brett Simpson
  • 2017: Mick Fanning, Bethany Hamilton
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