U.S. Open of Surfing begins Saturday

The U.S. Open of Surfing, the world’s largest professional surfing competition, begins its nine-day run Saturday in Huntington Beach, where top surfers will compete for a piece of the $350,000 purse, including the $100,000 first prize in the men’s division.

Huntington Beach native Brett Simpson, who last year became the first Surf City USA native to win the Open, is back. He faces heavyweights Mick Fanning ( Australia), Taj Burrow (Australia), Andy Irons ( Hawaii), C.J. Hobgood ( Florida) and Rob Machado (Cardiff, Calif.).

Nine-time world champion Kelly Slater is expected to be on hand too.

On the women’s side, 12 of the top 16 on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Tour are entered, including two world champions, Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) and Sofia Mulanovich (Peru).

Surfing pre-trials will be held Saturday and Sunday. Heats will begin Monday and run through Aug. 8 (from 8 a.m. until about 5 p.m. daily). Finals will be held on the final two days of the event.

Crowds are expected to exceed 500,000 over the course of the festival, which is free to the public. Several musical acts are scheduled to play on the concert stage next week, including Cold War Kids, Bedouin Soundclash, Switchfoot and Weezer.

— Baxter Holmes