Huntington Beach US Open of Surfing returns July 30
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — The annual Vans US Open of Surfing returns to Surf City for nine days filled with fun, free activities.
Starting July 30, the event will feature professional athletes, including Olympians and world champions, in surfing, skateboarding and BMX.
According to city officials, this is the the biggest surfing competition in the world. In recent years, there have been crowds of up to 500,000 people.
Jennifer Carey, a spokeswoman for the city, told The Epoch Times that the long-running annual event has become closely associated with Huntington Beach and “fits the surf culture that is embedded in our city’s history.” It’s an event the city is “proud” to host, she said.
This is the fourth leg of the World Surf League’s Challenger Series featuring 160 of the world’s best male and female surfers. There will be competitions every day before the August 7 final.
On July 30 and 31, the Vans BMX Waffle Cup competition, a stunt bike competition, for both men and women professionals, will kick off the festival.
The Vans Duct Tape Invitational and Festival for men and women will take place August 2-7. Forty of the world’s best longboarders compete with creative moves on their longboards for $50,000.
Last on the festival roster is the Vans Showdown, August 6-7, where street skaters from around the world will compete, showcasing their skating skills in the skatepark.
Near the pier, spectators can take part in various activities such as surfboard shaping, surf clinics, public skate and BMX sessions.
There will be public skate and BMX sessions hosted by vans for the community to enjoy unique skatepark opportunities, but only on August 1 and 2.
On August 3 and 4, there will be a Vans Surf Camp in the morning with resources for all ages to learn to surf.
Every day there will be a Vans Community Market with product demos and samples from Vinyl Solution, Costa Mesa Ceramics, Jokers Skateshop, and more.
Free wetsuit repairs will also be offered on-site to the local community to promote the recycling of old materials.
Fans can look forward to complimentary barbecue grill lunches served daily from 12-2 p.m., specially prepared by Vans founder Steve Van Doren.
The theme of this year’s event highlights the importance of environmental responsibility as this topic is strongly linked to surf culture. Maintaining the health and life of the ocean ensures that surf culture continues to thrive.
Businesses in the city are also benefiting from increased tourism, the spokeswoman said. Nearby businesses such as the Vans store, restaurants and other downtown surf shops are very busy during this event.
“Working with community partners, we’re always looking for family-friendly opportunities to bring visitors to Surf City and support our businesses,” Carey said.
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