Gerlach Reaches Semis of Op Pro

Surfing’s current world tour points leader, Brad Gerlach of Encinitas, will go up against sixth-seeded Richie Collins of Newport Beach in one of this morning’s semifinals of the Huntington Beach Op Pro.

Gerlach, seeded seventh, defeated unseeded Pat O’Connell of Laguna Niguel, 89.5 to 67.5, in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Top-seeded Barton Lynch of Manly, Australia, will meet 12th-seeded and defending Op champion Todd Holland of Cocoa Beach, Fla., in the other semifinal.

Gerlach, 25, winner of two of the first five contests on the tour, recorded the best score of the day against O’Connell, a Huntington Beach local who surfed through the trial heats to his best finish at an Assn. of Surfing Professionals contest.

“I got smoked out there,” O’Connell said. “He went out there and took charge. I heard the announcer say that I needed a 44-point wave (30 is the maximum score) to catch up. I said, ‘Geez.’ ”

Gerlach scored a 27 on his first wave, which he rode to the beach. O’Connell never came close.

“Brad surfed a perfect heat,” O’Connell said. “That one right (27.0 wave) was fabulous.”

Rob Machado of Cardiff will meet Shawn Sutton of Waipahu, Hawaii, in one of the Op Junior semifinals, while Jeff Deffenbaugh of Huntington Beach will meet Cade Oyadomari of Kancohe, Hawaii, in the other semifinal.

CYCLING

San Diego’s Danny Van Haute hooked up with Paul Pierceson of Allentown, Pen. to win the Madison race in the 30-34 age group at the U.S. Cycling Federation Masters’ National Championships at Morley Field’s velodrome.

Pierceson beat Van Haute earlier in the day in the points race, finishing one point ahead of his Madison partner.

EDS rider Nick Chenowth of Dallas, Tex., scored a convincing victory over Team Montgomery rider Leonard Nitz to claim the 35-39 age group sprint championship.

The USCF championships continues today from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with road races at Morley Field.

TENNIS

The only three San Diego-area players in the Mazda Classic qualifying tournament took an early exit after losing their first round-matches at the La Costa Hotel and Spa.

Laura Richards of Vista fell to Julie Shiflet of Virginia Beach, Va., 7-5, 6-2; Ditta Huber of San Diego lost to sixth-seeded Chandra Rubin of Los Angeles, 6-1, 6-4; and Ingrid Kurta of San Diego lost to seventh-seeded Jessica Emmons of Phoenix, 6-0, 6-1.

RUNNING

Maria Trujillo of La Jolla placed eighth in the 17th Quad City (Iowa) Times Bix 7, covering the seven-mile course in 38 minutes, 38 seconds. Uta Pippig of Germany won the race in 37:04.