Surfing at Huntington Beach : Favorites Tumble as County Surfers Keep Riding High

As the waves faded in the second round of the Op Pro Surfing Championships on Thursday, so did many of the top-seeded surfers.

Seven of the top 10 seeded surfers were knocked out--including top-seeded and defending world-champion Barton Lynch of Australia. Meanwhile, several local surfers glided into today’s final 16 at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Lynch, who also lost on his first day of competition at last year’s Op Pro, led a parade of Australians who sank in the dying waves midway through the round.

Other top-seeded surfers eliminated were:

--Second-seeded Damien Hardman of Australia, who was upset by Dino Andino of San Clemente, 81.5 to 70.8. Andino battled through trial heats on Tuesday and Wednesday along with the other lower-seeded surfers to get a shot at the top-seeded surfers on Thursday.

--Derek Ho of Hawaii, seeded third, who was ousted by Sean Yano of Hawaii, 86.5 to 79.8.

--Sixth-seeded Dave Macaulay of Australia, an 83.1 to 75.6 loser, to Gary Clisby of Huntington Beach.

--Seventh-seeded Gary Elkerton of Australia dropped a 72 to 65.6 decision to Vetea David of Tahiti.

--Ninth-seeded Bryce Ellis of Australia was a 93-to-78 loser to Tom Curren of Santa Barbara. Curren, a two-time world champion aiming for his fourth Op Pro title, is competing in his first event of the season.

--Glen Winton of Australia, seeded 10th, who lost to Ted Robinson of Manhattan Beach, 87.3 to 65.

Lynch, the winner of the 1987 Op Pro, was the most frustrated of the Aussies eliminated. He lost to Mike Lambresi of Oceanside, 74 to 53.3.

“I really don’t like Southern California,” Lynch said. “It’s crowded and it’s not the cleanest place I’ve ever been. We (Australians) don’t liked dealing with crowds. Maybe that’s why we’re struggling.”

Surfing was only part of Lynch’s problems. He suffered torn ligaments in his neck when his car was rear-ended on Pacific Coast Highway. He also broke his favorite board while practicing on Wednesday.

Then Lynch couldn’t catch a wave.

“I sat out there and waited 15 minutes,” Lynch said. “Ever since I won (the Op) in 1987, nothing has gone right for me in California.

“It’s frustrating, really frustrating. I’ve had four terrible results in a row. I’ve lost in the first round twice and twice in the second round. That’s fairly pathetic.”

Lambresi said little went right for him in the heat. He fell on his first wave, scored on his second and fell again on his third.

“It was an interesting heat,” he said. “It wasn’t the best heat of my life. I got good waves for the conditions.”

Lambresi, 25, said he’s “well-unknown” for his accomplishments. He was a two-time U.S. champion and spent three years on the world tour before settling down with his family in Oceanside. He now surfs in local contests.

The Op Pro gave Lambresi the chance to get the exposure he says he wants. Beating Lynch, whom he lost to in their previous three meetings, made the event even more special.

“When I was paddling out there, I kept telling myself, ‘This is the opportunity of a lifetime,’ ” Lambresi said. “I was up against the world champion and I had to seize the moment.”

Andino, 20, used a similar approach to upset Hardman.

“I knew I had to get a good start,” said Andino, who was 17th at last year’s Op Pro. “I used the same theory as Lambresi. I got a head start, then I just had to maintain it.”

Andino will meet Richie Collins of Newport Beach in the third round today. Collins, seeded 15th, advanced with a 78 to 52 win against Graham Wilson of Australia.

Collins, who builds his own boards in his Costa Mesa shop, said he used a patient game plan against Wilson.

“I was as mellow as possible,” he said. “I knew the waves would be inconsistent. I tried to figure out what was going on.”

Andino said he’s looking forward to a rematch with Collins. Andino beat Collins in the early rounds of last year’s Op Pro.

“He’s been looking to get me back,” Andino said. “It should be interesting. Richie is one of the most radical surfers here.”

The only top 10 seeded surfers to survive the second round were No. 5 Tom Carroll of Australia, fourth-seeded Martin Potter of England and No. 8 Brad Gerlach of Encinitas. Laguna Beach’s Mike Parsons, 17th-seeded, advanced with a 64.3 to 59.6 win over No. 16 Shaun Tomson of South Africa.

Several local surfers also cruised through the women’s trials round, including Janice Aragon of Huntington Beach and San Clemente’s Jorja Smith. They will compete against the top eight seeded surfers this morning. Finals for the women will be Sunday morning.

Thursday’s Results

Men

Heat 1--Marty Thomas (Hawaii) def. Richard Marsh (Australia) 81.5-71.6. Heat 2--Tom Carroll (Australia) def. Fabio Gouveia (Brazil) 82.3-76.1. Heat 3--Todd Holland (Florida) def. Cheyne Horan (Australia) 64.5-55.0. Heat 4--Martin Potter (England) def. Flavio Padaratz (Brazil) 89.0-76.5. Heat 5--Tom Curren (Santa Barbara) def. Bryce Ellis (Australia) 93.0-78.0. Heat 6--Brad Gerlach (Encinitas) def. Chris Billy (Capistrano Beach) 69.3-62.3. Heat 7--Mike Parsons (Laguna Beach) def. Shaun Tomson (South Africa) 64.3-59.6. Heat 8--Mike Lambresi (Oceanside) def. Barton Lynch (Australia) 74.0-53.3. Heat 9--Dino Andino (San Clemente) def. Damien Hardman (Australia) 81.5-70.8. Heat 10--Richie Collins (Newport Beach) def. Graham Wilson (Australia) 78.0-52.0. Heat 11--Vetea David (Tahiti) def. Gary Elkerton (Australia) 72.0-65.6. Heat 12--Ted Robinson (Manhattan Beach) def. Glen Winton (Australia) 87.3-65.0. Heat 13--Sean Yano (Hawaii) def. Derek Ho (Hawaii) 86.5-79.8. Heat 14--Sunny Garcia (Hawaii) def. Mitch Thorson (Australia) 82.3-57.0. Heat 15--Gary Clisby (Huntington Beach) def. Dave Macaulay (Australia) 83.1-75.6. Heat 16--Rob Bain (Australia) def. Rob Page (Australia) 62.0-61.3.

Women

Trials round

Top two advance to finals

Heat 1--1. Janice Aragon (Huntington Beach). 2. Christine Gillard (Coronado). 3. Amy Zavala (Santa Cruz). Heat 2--1. Michelle Donoghoe (Australia). 2. Lisa Andersen (Florida). 3. Jolene Smith (San Clemente). Heat 3--1. Tricia Gill (Encinitas). 2. Jenny Gill (Australia). 3. Lisa Carulli (San Diego). Heat 4--1. Saiko Hirano (Japan). 2. Jorja Smith (San Clemente). 3. Ellie Keck (New Jersey).