Meah Collins, 16, is hanging tough at U.S. Open of Surfing

Meah Collins woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Monday and was too nervous to eat.

A short trip from her home in Newport Beach to Huntington Beach brought her to a big opportunity, with straightforward stakes: Finish first among four surfers in a heat and qualify for her first Women’s Championship Tour event. Finish second or lower and stay on the outside looking in.

While warming up, Collins broke the nose of her board and had to switch to a backup. Then she waded into the water apprehensively and didn’t take a wave until halfway through the 30-minute round.

But she won, pushing her way into the main event of the U.S. Open of Surfing.

Collins, 16, couldn’t believe it, and was speechless when her family and friends greeted her at the edge of the water.

“It was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been going into a heat. ... I knew it was coming down to one heat, with three other girls out there who all surf really well,” Collins said.

Six hours after making the field, Collins finished third among three surfers in a first-round heat. That means she will have to surf Tuesday to stay alive in the competition. Her placement was no surprise considering the competition.

Collins’ surfed alongside Courtney Conlogue, a Santa Ana native who is the world’s top-ranked female surfer. With them was 11th-ranked Sage Erickson of Ventura, who won the heat.

Courtney Conlogue greets media and fans after placing second in her heat during the first round of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.

(Callaghan O’Hare / Los Angeles Times )

As winner of the qualifier, Collins was seeded last among the 18 surfers. That set up a steep climb against top competition, but she’s just happy to be in the water.

“Being able to finally compete against them was just amazing and an honor,” Collins said. “It was crazy to see Courtney out there in a yellow jersey and just know that I was in a heat with her.”

Collins’ bid for a spot in the U.S. Open started at the Supergirl Pro in Oceanside over the weekend. Before that event, Collins received an email saying the last spot in the U.S. Open’s qualifying heat would go to the top-ranked North American surfer in the Qualifying Series.

At the time, she was second in those rankings, and needed a good finish at the Supergirl to move up.

She did just enough in the Oceanside event to nudge her up in the standings, then won her U.S. Open qualifying round to set up her Championship Tour debut.

After a short celebration on the beach, her mom crying and her friends wrapping her in hugs, Collins finally got some food in her stomach. Then she hung out at the beach for a little while, her nerves eased, and she paddled out alongside Erickson and Conlogue for the third women’s heat of the day.

The results weren’t ideal, but Collins still has a chance Tuesday to squeeze some success out of a longtime dream.

“It gives me a little self-confidence, because I know I have the ability to compete against them,” Collins said. “And it’s crazy because I’m still so young, and I’m still doing my fair share on the Qualifying Series now.

“I’m just getting a little taste of the Championship Tour and I just want it so much more now that I’ve been able to experience that.”

jesse.dougherty@latimes.com

Twitter: @dougherty_jesse