Action sports send Open into high drive

The Vans U.S. Open of Surfing has put its first five days in the books, and the final drive shifts into a jam-packed four days of action sports in surfing, skate and BMX.

The start to the nine-day Open featured impressive performances and saw a trio of county surfers, Kanoa Igarashi and Brett Simpson of Huntington Beach and Courtney Conlogue of Santa Ana, win heats and advance in the competition.

The surfing competition, which got underway Saturday, continues with heats action Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and concludes Sunday with the women’s and men’s finals. Weather and water conditions will dictate the surf schedule and heat times for the weekend, U.S. Open officials said.

The skate portion of the U.S. Open of Surfing started Sunday. The Men’s Pro Qualifiers of the Vans Pro Skate Series are Friday, and semifinals and finals are Saturday at the Vans Pro Park Course.

The BMX competition starts Thursday, and athletes will be vying for a spot in Sunday’s final of The Van Doren Invitational.

Sunday marks the end of the Open’s nine-day run.

Championships and prize money are on the line in the World Surf League Men’s (qualifying series, 10,000 points), WSL women’s and combined WSL Pro Junior (men, women) events, and the Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational (longboard contest).

The women’s competition is the sixth stop on the Samsung Galaxy WSL World Championship Tour.

U.S. Open Men

Round 2 (24 four-man heats) of the men’s (qualifying series, 10,000 points) competition started Tuesday and concluded Wednesday. Igarashi roared to a big victory and posted the top heat score (17.23) over the two days.

The 18-year-old, a rookie on the Championship Tour, took a big lead early and dominated a heat that included Billy Stairmand (New Zealand, 10.30), Marc Lacomare (France, 9.74) and Robson Santos (Brazil, 9.40).

Also Tuesday, defending U.S. Open Men’s champion Hiroto Ohhara of Japan won his Round 2 heat to advance.

At last year’s U.S. Open, Igarashi reached the men’s semifinals (edged out by Ohhara) and was runner-up to the Men’s Pro Junior title.

“It was a really fun heat,” he said of this Tuesday triumph. “I felt great out there, felt good, and everything went my way. I’m just very excited to be moving on.”

Simpson, a two-time U.S. Open of Surfing men’s winner, surfed his heat Wednesday and in a tight battle edged out Matt Banting of Australia. Simpson out-scored Banting, 14.64 to 14.60, and both advanced in the competition.

Simpson’s heat also included Dion Atkins (Australia) and Timothee Bisso (Guadeloupe), both of whom finished with a 13.00 score.

“I felt real confident, even in the testing conditions,” Simpson said. “My surfing felt good and I was patient enough to find a few waves I liked.

“It’s good to get through the first heat, because I feel that’s the one with the most nerves.”

Igarashi and Simpson both will surf Round 3 (Round of 48) heats Thursday. Igarashi’s heat (Heat 8) includes Conner Coffin (U.S.), Joan Duru (France) and Jordy Smith (South Africa). Simpson follows in Heat 10, which also includes Filipe Toledo (Brazil), Jeremy Flores (France) and Santiago Muniz (Argentina).

Another local, Huntington’s Tim Reyes, surfed a Round 1 heat Monday but did not advance. Reyes was fourth in a heat won by Thiago Camarao of Brazil. Mihimana Braye of French Polynesia finished second and also advanced from the heat.

“I really didn’t get a chance to compete,” Reyes said, in reference to his heat’s surf conditions. “Nothing really came my way. Not much you can do. That’s pro surfing.”

Men’s Round 1 heat winners: Ethan Ewing (Australia), Gony Zubizarreta (Spain), Victor Bernardo (Brazil), Thiago Camarao (Brazil), Griffin Colapinto (U.S.), Robson Santos (Brazil), Kaito Kino (Hawaii), Lucas Silveira (Brazil).

Men’s Round 2 heat winners: Simpson (Huntington Beach), Igarashi (Huntington Beach), Ethan Ewing (Australia), Keanu Asing (Hawaii), Hiroto Ohhara (Japan), Gony Zubizarreta (Spain), Kolohe Andino (U.S.), Jadson Andre (Brazil), Stu Kennedy (Australia), Sebastian Zietz (Hawaii), Tom Whitaker (Australia), Davey Cathels (Australia), Granger Larsen (Hawaii), Adriano de Souza (Brazil), Griffin Colapinto (U.S.), Yago Dora (Brazil), Conner Coffin (U.S.), Torrey Meister (Australia), Evan Geiselman (U.S.), Filipe Toledo (Brazil), Tanner Gudauskas (U.S.), Maxime Huscenot (France), Carlos Muniz (Costa Rica), Michel Bourez (French Polynesia).

U.S. Open Women

A new U.S. Open women’s champion will be crowned this weekend.

In a Round 2 heat Tuesday morning, Keely Andrew of Australia knocked off defending-champ Johanne Defay of France. Andrew had the lead and priority late and held on for a 15.00-12.47 win.

Andrew, 21, is surfing the U.S. Open for only the second time.

“It was huge for me,” she said of her victory. “I felt pretty good throughout the heat. I have a lot of respect for Johanne. You have to learn from the best to be the best.”

Defay won the U.S. Open for the first time last year.

“I was able to get a few waves, which was cool,” Defay said. “Keely did a great job out there, did what she had to do and surfed well. She’s a great competitor.”

Andrew, who was third in her Round 1 heat Monday and second to fellow Aussie Tyler Wright in a Round 3 heat Wednesday, advanced to a Round 4 heat Thursday against Carissa Moore (Hawaii).

Conlogue, ranked No. 1 in the world, finished second to Sage Erickson (USA) in a Round 1 heat Monday but has since won two heats to advance to the quarterfinal round.

Conlogue moved on to the final eight by winning her Round 3 heat Wednesday. She edged out Laura Enever (Australia), 14.90 to 14.66, in a three-person heat where Erickson (9.23) was third.

In a Round 2 heat Tuesday, Conlogue eliminated Meah Collins of Newport Beach, 14.17 to 10.64.

Collins, who advanced from the women’s Championship Tour trials Monday, still was in contention for a U.S. Open of Surfing title by reaching the quarterfinal round of the Pro Junior Women’s competition.

Women’s Round 1 heat winners: Malia Manuel (Hawaii), Coco Ho (Hawaii), Sage Erickson (U.S.), Tyler Wright (Australia), Lakey Peterson (USA), Alessa Quizon (Hawaii).

Women’s Round 2 heat winners: Conlogue (Santa Ana), Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia), Carissa Moore (Hawaii), Keely Andrew (Australia), Laura Enever (Australia).

Women’s Round 3 heat winners: Conlogue (Santa Ana), Lakey Peterson (U.S.), Tyler Wright (Australia), Stephanie Gilmore (Australia).

Men’s Pro Junior

The WSL Men’s Pro Junior moves into its final weekend of competition. Picking up Round 2 victories were Ethan Ewing (Australia), Tyler Gunter (U.S.), Samuel Pupo (Brazil), Nolan Rapoza (U.S.), Griffin Colapinto (U.S.), Luis Diaz (Canary Islands), Cole Houshmand (U.S.) and Jake Marshall (U.S.).

Women’s Pro Junior

Twenty-four women were in the hunt for the Pro Junior title. They were Meah Collins (Newport Beach), Caroline Marks (U.S.), Rachel Presti (U.S.), Malia Osterkamp (U.S.), Leilani McGonagle (Costa Rica), Maddie Peterson (U.S.), Tiare Thompson (U.S.), Kirra Pinkerton (U.S.), Macy Callaghan (Australia), Izzi Gomez U.S.), Samantha Sibley (U.S.), Jordyn Barratt (U.S.), Alyssa Spencer (U.S.), Autumn Hays (U.S.), Alexa Muss (U.S.), Nicole Fulford (U.S.), Brisa Hennessy (Hawaii), Emily Gussoni (Costa Rica), Molly Kirk (U.S.), Malia Faramarzi (U.S.), Teresa Bonvalot (Portugal), Hannah Blevins (U.S.), Bethany Zelasko (U.S.), Kayla Coscino (Laguna Beach).

Collina, Marks, Presti, Osterkamp, McGonagle, Peterson, Thompson and Pinkerton had secured berths in the quarterfinal round (four four-person heats).

Joel Tudor Invitational

Competitors in the Duct Tape Invitational presented by Pacifico were Nate Strom, Tom Payne, CJ Nelson, Justin Quintal, Tyler Warren, Kelia Moniz, Alex Knost, Richie Cravey, Riley Stone, Chad Marshall, Tommy Witt, Troy Mothershead, Kevin Connelly, Karina Rozunko, Harrison Roach, Andy Nieblas.