Surfing is back! Huntington Beach hosts 2021 US Open

Image+by+Free-Photos+from+Pixabay

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Jacey Beery, Reporter

Surfing has become part of California culture. The sport has created an entire world of fashion and lifestyle, so when the US Open starts, Californians rush to get a front-row seat. The US Open kicked off in Huntington Beach last week on September 20, 2021, and ended on the 26 of September. The event is from 8 AM-6 PM every day and the lineup is filled with surfers from all around the globe for the US Open Champion title. Some of the pros include Nolan Rapoza of Long Beach, Kanoa Igarashi from Japan, and Carolina Marks of Florida (the youngest female to compete in a World Surf League event). First held in 1959, the US Open was known as the “United States Surfing Championships”, but was eventually changed in 1994. September 22nd is the first day of the women’s lineup with 16 heats, all with 4 competitors. The event had a specific amount of heats in which four surfers battled to move on to the next. The heats narrowed down the surfers each day until Sunday when the winner was announced. This year’s event is more scaled-down due to Covid, with less of a festival, however, it was a much-welcomed celebration after having been canceled in the year 2020. In previous years, Huntington was filled with a skate park, a large Vans store, and multiple sponsor displays. With surfing being the main focus of the event this year, fewer activities are surrounding it. Parking gets particularly crowded during the week of the event, so getting there early in the morning is key. Aside from the competition, Huntington Beach Main Street is within walking distance for quick access to multiple restaurants and stores. As of Sunday, September 26, 2021, Caitlin Simmers of Oceanside at the age of 15, has been named the 2021 girl’s US Open champ, while Griffin Colapinto of San Clemente took the men’s title.  According to Simmers, she’s going to celebrate by, “..just getting a pizza with some of [her] friends.” The US Open will be back in the summer of 2022 with more festivals and a whole new lineup of up-and-coming pro surfers.