Surf
City Center Stage for 2012 Nike U.S. Open of Surfing
Sunny
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The 2012 Nike U.S. Open of Surfing (USOS) is in full swing now and expects to draw 500,000 people to Huntington Beach. The world’s best surfers are here to challenge each other and make names for themselves in Surf City.
Hometown favorite Brett Simpson is taking another run at a three-peat USOS Championship. With his win on Tuesday in Heat 19 he is right in the thick of it.
Simpson told the media, “For me it’s my home break so it’s
a very special event. You always want to do well at home and I have had a great
success over the past few years.”
This jewel in the crown of surfing events started with the junior men’s and women’s competitions on Saturday, July 28, and wraps up on Sunday, August 5, when the men’s and women’s champions are named.
SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel talked to
KROQ “Surfologist” Rick “Rockin Fig” Fignetti, the official announcer for 19
USOS events.
Sunny,
Rockin Fig, and Patti
A Huntington Beach local hero with two national surfing titles and a spot on the Surfing Walk
of Fame, Fig is excited to be at the mike again for this year’s Open.
SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti like to get to the beach early for the Open and stake out a spot on the HB Pier to watch the surfing action…
There’s a lot to see…and skateboarding and bands, too.
Converse, a division of Nike, is staging its Converse Coastal Carnage pro/am skate competition again this year. Forty of the world’s premier skateboarders will be showing off their moves in a giant, aquamarine-colored skate bowl designed to look like a tropical lagoon. The intricate double-bowl has plenty of hips, tight corners and mellow transitions so viewers won’t be disappointed. The skate action runs from this Friday to Sunday.
And, if music is your thing, Nike doesn’t disappoint. It
has three nights of music scheduled from Wednesday to Friday. Top bands TV on the Radio, Grouplove, and Best Coast,
along with up-and-coming artists, are set to take over center stage.
Another thing that SurfWriter Girls likes to do is join the
crowds at the vendor booths to see what’s new.
Event sponsor Hurley sportswear, a division of Nike, has a giant retail store set up right in the middle of the venue.
In addition to all the souvenir T-shirts and hats on
display, it’s showcasing its latest fashions and action wear.
Nearby, Hurley H20, the company’s charitable foundation that works to make pure water available in impoverished countries, is dispensing water.
When the morning fog burns off and the temperatures rise, the booth gets a lot of takers.
Alex Lavien, one of the H20 reps, told SurfWriter Girls, that being at the USOS “is a great way to raise awareness about people around the world who don’t have water.”
J.P Wallam, a first-year H20 volunteer, agreed. He said
that a friend got him involved with the charity and that he “was glad to see so
many people wanting to help others in need.”
Farther down the boardwalk, SurfWriter Girls saw people gathering for a different kind of beverage – Red Bull.
The popular energy drink company has a DJ keeping the music going and surf videos playing in its large exhibit booth so there’s a party vibe going on. People are lining up outside of the tent to get their Red Bull jolt.
Available in three versions, starting at $129, the cameras are designed to capture action sports photos and are virtually indestructible.
Becky Clough, who was demo-ing the cameras, said, “They’re shockproof, freezeproof, and waterproof.”
Plus, she pointed out, “The top end TG-1 has an F2.0 lens, which has a wider aperture. So, it’s perfect for underwater photography.”
SurfWriter Girls were impressed with the cameras’ styling
and features…and ability to go anywhere. It’s amazing what they can do. When we
checked the reviews we saw that Digital Camera Info.Com had this to say: “The
TG-1 is just as durable as the hardiest, adventure-ready cameras, but stuffed
with the brightest lens we’ve seen in the class.”
Paul Mitchell’s Future Hairstylists, who are regulars at the Open, are
getting a good reaction, too, and were kept busy practicing their high fashion
haircuts and dos for a donation of $15.
It’s nice to see that Pura Vida and 31 Bits are back at the USOS this year. The two companies are both focused on empowering locals in poor countries by selling their jewelry creations.
Pura Vida’s simple, but surprisingly beautiful, bracelets are made out of string by artisans in Costa Rica’s Dominical Beach area.
Originally sold to tourists and surfers there for the un-crowded waves, the bracelets are now carried in over 500 U.S. stores including surf shops, boutiques, and upscale retailers like Nordstrom.
In addition to helping the Costa Rican families who make the
bracelets, SurfWriter Girls learned that a part of Pura Vida’s proceeds goes to
the Surfrider Foundation to help support its grassroots efforts to clean up the
world’s oceans and beaches.
31 Bits,
whose name comes from the Proverbs 31description of a “noble wife” and her
ability to earn money and work vigorously, is all about empowering women.
When company founder Kallie Dovel traveled to Uganda in
the summer of 2007 she saw women making paper beads from magazine pages, but
they didn’t have the means to sell them. With Dovel’s help the women’s
creations are now available online and at surf shops, boutiques and salons
throughout the U.S.
Kristina Grossman, a student intern majoring in
International Studies at Whitworth College in Washington, told SurfWriter Girls
Sunny and Patti, “We now employ 110 women in Gulu, Uganda. This helps them to
get out of poverty. The ladies are very talented and their unique jewelry
designs are influenced by their African heritage.”
What started with just a few bits of rolled paper is now a full-fledged business with several product lines, including the Summer 2012 “Color Out Loud” collection, filled with bold oranges, yellows, purples, and teal blues.
Another company excited to be at this year’s USOS is Action Sports Media Corp, who just launched its Caught You Ripping photo and video project that catches “you doing whatever you rip at, shoots it and uploads it to the Internet” so you can share it with your friends.
ASMC President and CEO Bryan Harrington told SurfWriter
Girls, “I spent 10 months developing this project. We take pictures of people
that are surfing, skateboarding, motorcross racing, whatever it is they do to
rip.”
According to Harrington, it just takes three easy steps
for you to use “Caught You Ripping”: 1) Go out and rip; 2) Get spotted; 3) find
your pics online. So, next time you’re out there lookin’ good, look around… to
see if ASMC’s photogs are there capturing the action moment.
There’s so much going on at the USOS that you’ll
definitely want to take a break. SurfWriter Girls’ favorite spot to recharge is
Duke’s restaurant right next to the
pier. Named after the legendary surfer Duke Kahanamoku, it’s the perfect place
to chill out.
When it’s crowded it can be hard to nab a table, but Duke’s Hawaiian menu, exotic drinks and cold beer – and a front row seat for the Open action – can’t be beat.
For a taste of the islands, SurfWriter Girls recommends
the Huli Chicken sandwich.
With everyone’s eyes focused on the water during the USOS you could easily forget all the restaurants and shops located on and around Main Street. But, that would be a mistake. Every kind of food or fashion is there.
You never know what you’ll see...like these “Anti-Surfing
Girls.”
Plus you’ll be helping the Huntington Beach economy. According to the City, the weeklong USOS event
brings in $21 million in revenues.
Finally, before you go home, there’s just one more thing
to do – party! Head over to the “After the Open” Celebrity Surfing Champion Recognition Party at the Waterfront
Hilton’s Driftwood Sands Beach (21100 Pacific Coast Highway) on Sunday, August
5, from 4-10 p.m.
Honoring the 2012 USOS participants, surf industry leaders, community and sponsors, the party benefits the non-profit Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches..
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