SURFING / U.S. OPEN : Slater, Defending Champion Beschen Reach Round 4

On the beach there was a circus atmosphere with MTV and booths galore. There was a stage for rock bands and KROQ radio was broadcasting from the local Dairy Queen.

But in the ocean, the mood was as chilly as the water and the world’s best surfers fought to advance to the next round of the U.S. Open of Surfing.

On the fourth day of the weeklong contest, men completed the third round of surfing Friday. Top-seeded Kelly Slater breezed through his heat, dominating Joca Junior of Brazil.

“On days like this, when the surf is so small, you have to catch any wave that comes your way,” said Slater of Cocoa Beach, Fla. Slater finished with 33.83 points, almost 10 points ahead of Junior. He also scored the highest wave score of the day with a 9.83.

“I wish I had a 9.83 last year when I took second [at the U.S. Open],” Slater said. “But I’m pretty much used to this [condition].”

Slater will be competing against Michael Barry of Australia today. Barry advanced by beating Derek Ho of Haleiwa, Hawaii.

Also advancing was defending champion Shane Beschen of San Clemente, who like Slater, was dominant during his heat against Mark Bannister of Australia.

Beschen, ranked ninth on the World Tour, scored an 8.5, 7.50 and a 7.0 on the first three waves he caught. Bannister seemed frustrated in his wave selection; his highest score was a 7.0 and a 5.50 was his second-highest score.

“I just wanted to catch anything in sight and put pressure on Mark,” Beschen said. “But these waves are getting so small I just might have to get my 9-foot board and make this a longboard contest.”

Op Pro champion Sunny Garcia advanced Friday by edging Nathan Webster of Australia.

“I was getting a good push off the pier. And because the waves weren’t closing out, it allowed you more maneuvers on the wave,” Garcia said.

Garcia, ranked second on the world tour, had to struggle before he was able to overtake Webster in the last few minutes of the heat. Garcia finished with 28.44 points to Webster’s 27.40.

Garcia will be surfing against fellow Hawaiian Kaipo Jaquias today in the fourth round. Jaquias beat John Shimocka of Honolulu to advance.

Taylor Knox of Carlsbad beat Todd Prestage of Australia. Knox faces Shane Dorian of Holualoa, Hawaii, today.

Rob Machado, ranked sixth, easily won his heat against Jake Spooner of Australia. He’ll go up against Australian Stuart Bedford-Brown.

After arriving five minutes late for his heat, Jeff Deffenbaugh failed to advance, losing to Shane Powell of Australia.

“When I got to the parking lot before my heat, they wouldn’t let me in because it was locked,” Deffenbaugh said. “I had to walk all the way around so I was late.”

Deffenbaugh said he didn’t believe his late arrival was a factor in his loss.

“There were no waves, and Shane hadn’t even caught a wave yet,” Deffenbaugh said.

But it was clear that Deffenbaugh’s frame of mind after his encounter with the guard at the gate did not give him a positive approach to his heat.

“Yeah, I suppose I was a little mad after what happened. And it does help to be in a good frame of mind when you compete,” Deffenbaugh said.

Maybe the easiest heat was Todd Holland’s match with Renan Rocha.

Rocha, one of the top Brazilian surfers on the World Tour, pulled out of the competition because of an injury he suffered early this week.

Rocha re-injured his knee Sunday after playing soccer with some of his cohorts, said Al Hunt, general manager of the Assn. of Surfing Professionals. “He left last night for Brazil after a doctor told him he should not compete,” Hunt said.

Hunt said it appeared Rocha might have torn some ligaments.

Flavio Padaratz and Fabio Gouveia, both of Brazil, advanced to the fourth round.

In the second round of the women’s main event, former Newport Harbor High student Tricia Gill upset Pauline Menczer of Australia. Menczer, ranked fourth in the world and a favorite in the U.S. Open, had trouble in the small surf.

Gill, who now lives in Cardiff and used to be on the pro circuit, will surf against Neriday Falconer of Australia in today’s quarterfinals.

World champion Lisa Andersen easily won her heat against Keala Kennelly of Hanalei, Hawaii, to advance, as did Patricia Rossi of Tahiti. Australians Kylie Webb and Michelle Donoghoe also advanced. Miyuki Onozato of Japan defeated Kim Wooldridge of Australia to advance.

Op Pro longboard champion Joel Tudor of San Diego advanced to the semifinals. Joining Tudor are Colin McPhillips of San Clemente; Brendan White, 15, of Capistrano Beach, and Josh Baxter of San Clemente.