THE U.S. OPEN OF SURFING IS HERE

With huge World Tour implications for local surfers, all eyes will be on Huntington Beach this weekend

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

Alot of surfing is going to go down in Huntington Beach by the time you read this, but here we go. The U.S. Open of Surfing has officially arrived, accompanied by the hopes of several local surfers who have been eyeing this moment all year long.

Starting things off with a bang, San Clemente’s Cole Houshmand has officially qualified for the 2024 WSL Championship Tour after winning his first heat of the Open. Winning the past two Challenger Series events, he currently fronts the men’s ratings and has now clinched his spot on tour next year, when he will join fellow San Clemente surfer Griffin Colapinto.

“The last three nights I couldn’t sleep; I’ve never been so nervous to make a heat,” Houshmand said afterward. “A lot of emotions. All that hard work paying off. All the sacrifices. The good and the bad. The wins and the losses. I had one of my hardest years last year, and I think everything happens for a reason; I’m super stoked I stuck with it.

And speaking of Colapinto, it’s also been announced in recent days that he clinched a spot in the upcoming WSL Finals at Lowers, as well as at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“So excited to finally make the WSL Final 5 and qualify for the 2024 Olympics,” Colapinto shared on Instagram. “It’s been quite the journey. Thank you to the people that have believed in me all this time. Life is a roller coaster!”

A critical event in the WSL’s Challenger

Grom Of The Week

Koa Morehead

BY JAKE HOWARD

Koa Morehead is rolling! Literally. Focusing his energy on skating lately, he’s had a whirlwind of a year so far, and it’s only half over.

Koa kicked off the year at the Amateur Skate League Nationals Championships held in Lakeland, Florida, where he walked away as the national champ in the 8- to 12-year-old park division. An extremely well-rounded skater, he also finished second in the Bowl and fourth in Street.

Most recently, Koa was in Colorado for the Heart of the Rockies Rampage 2023. A wizard in the park, once again

Series, in terms of valuable ratings points, the Open is the biggest, most important contest in North America. One of only six Challenger Series events in 2023, at season’s end, the top 10 men and top five women will graduate to the exclusive WSL Championship Tour.

As far as the 2023 U.S. Open goes, Houshmand has already done the hard work; meanwhile, things are a little more dicey for his peers.

Going into the Open, Kade Matson sat fifth on the Challenger Series. Unfortunately, he came up short on opening day and will now look to the final two events of the season to make his mark.

Veteran Kolohe Andino, who’s been instrumental in rallying the next generation, also bowed out on opening day.

Sitting right at the cut line in 10th on the Challenger Series is Jett Schilling. Looking for a big result in Huntington, he aced his opening day to advance into the Round of 32. Crosby Colapinto has also been waiting all year for this opportunity, and it showed when he posted one of the highest heat scores of the opening round.

On the women’s side of the draw, young Bella Kenworthy headed to Huntington with something to prove. A gifted skateboarder, she’s previously competed in the skate events at the Open, but this year she found herself in the main surf event.

Ranked 10th on the Challenger Series, a solid result will slingshot her into the Championship Tour qualification conversation.

Also making her presence known on he came away with a big win in the 12 and Under Park division. Punching above his weight, he also won the Park amateur division, where he squared off against all ages.

When he’s not winning competitions and stomping 540s, you can find Koa skating down in Vista at the California Training Facility or the Vans skatepark in Huntington Beach. He’s also been putting in time on the vert ramp, which is sure to be another weapon in his arsenal.

And now that the ocean’s finally warmed up, Koa and his twin brothers, Tosh and Mason, have been hitting the beach and enjoying the sun and surf when he’s not skating.

If you have a candidate for Grom of

Day 1 was Kirra Pinkerton, who progressed out of her opening heat. Currently ranked 23rd on the Challenger Series, she has some work to do, but she’s enjoyed considerable competitive success in Huntington over the years and should draw some comfort and confidence from that.

As of press time, the women’s Round of 32 hadn’t taken the water yet, but that’s when San Clemente’s top-rated female, Sawyer Lindblad, who sits seventh on the Challenger Series, will face Kenworthy, Canadian sensation Erin Brooks and Aussie Bronte Macaulay.

In terms of the surf we can expect to see this weekend, Surfline’s calling for a mix of moderate southwest ground swell and northwest wind swell. It’s forecasted that the surf will hang in the waist- to chest-high zone on Friday, Aug. 4, with a little bump in size going into Saturday, Aug. 5.

Jake Howard is a local surfer and freelance writer who lives in San Clemente. A former editor at Surfer magazine, The Surfer’s Journal and ESPN, today he writes for several publications, including Picket Fence Media, Surfline and the World Surf League. He also works with philanthropic organizations such as the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center and the Positive Vibe Warriors Foundation. DP

Surf Forecast

Water Temperature: 70-72 Degrees

Water Visibility: 7-10’ the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com. DP

If you have a candidate for Grom of the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com.

Outlook: The swell combo peaks Friday morning, putting more spots in waist to chest high surf, (3-4’). Those waves gradually taper off over the weekend, with most spots back in thigh to stomach high surf, (2-3’+) by Sunday. Light+ sideshore winds Friday morning will rise to moderate west winds in the afternoon. Mainly light+ onshores due through the weekend.