 |
 USA |
 |
Upon first glance at the sprawling ring top that covers the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, one might assume the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing is more about sideshows than the actual surfing. And while thousands of mohawked rockers and henna tattooed bikini babes sipped their energy drinks and checked out the dirt bike jumps, there was still a baseball stadium worth of cheers being directed at the action in the water. "The crowds are such a cool experience and you sometimes lose that on the World Tour," said the newly crowned U.S. Open champ C.J. Hobgood. "That's what's great about Huntington, it's just the people." Hobgood, although seated at 25th on the ASP World Tour rankings, is now three for three in 2007 World Qualifying Series (WQS) events on American soil. He won the season opener at his homebreak, Sebastian Inlet, Florida. Next was his quad-propelled victory at the Body Glove Surf Bout at Lower Trestles. But after this six-star prime victory here, his name and his confidence are that of a timeless champion. "I've done the U.S. Open for over a decade and never made it past the quarters. I've seen guys like Rob Machado, Shane Beschen, Kalani Robb and Kelly Slater win here before and I was living through those guys for so long," smiled Ceej after emerging from the mob and embracing his wife and daughter. "I've never got two 33rds so quickly on tour, so this win definitely softens the blow." Standing in his way right up to the very end was an on-fire Frenchman who had been dropping dirty maneuvers for high scores the entire event. Jeremy Flores finished third here last year, and at just 19-years-old, this ASP World Tour rookie came within a baguette's length of the win. The swell ranged from two-foot wind slop to overhead rippable peaks throughout the 10-day marathon of a surf contest. And while the points in the Men's final weren't has high as the VIP peanut gallery's score cards, it came down to who got the crossed up lumps with the most open face. "When you're out the back taking off you don't really know what it's going to do on the inside. Fortunately for me I got one that lined up on the inside," Hobgood remembers. "I actually thought Jeremy was surfing better. I'm sure it was his lowest scoring heat of the whole comp and I think it was mine too." In fact, the Lost Pro Junior's finalist's point totals could have given Flores and Hobgood a serious test. With a stacked four-man final of South African giant killer Jordy Smith, Hawaiian legacy Mason Ho, and Tonino Benson (fresh of his NSSA Nationals title and an interview for Surfline's upcoming Rising Stars profile), Seal Beach, CA's Chris Waring had to go for broke. With Ho and Smith picking drab waves, Waring had a shot at Benson's lead the entire time and the local crowd was backing him... loudly. "The crowd makes it a little more nerve-wracking," Waring, the new ASP North America Pro Junior ratings leader laughed. "But, I didn't bog too hard and I'm definitely stoked with a second." Benson, on the other hand, dealt with the heavy heat in other ways by busting two big off-the-lip fins-out reverses on the outside. "Everyone is amazing in their own ways, I'm just happy I overtook them," said Benson. "I just tried to do my own thing and take the bigger waves and make them count." Although Jordy Smith didn't turn too many heads on his logo-less board during his wave-starved final, he was surely the talk of the beach (more so than the swarm of bees that closed down part of the vendor area for a few hours). Smith has been touted as possibly the most wanted prospect ever and, currently in between sponsors, the rumor mill was churning out some seriously juice on the 19-year-old Saffa. Stay tuned to Surfline for an inside look at one of the most high-profile contract wars in surfing history. With all the hype around Smith and a stellar run from Jeremy Flores, plus a blow-for-blow semi-final with Dustin Quizon, the younger guard appeared to give guys like C.J. a true test. But Hobgood credited his compelling desire to win as his balancing act against the freakish, new-school tricks today's breed brings forth. At nine-years his junior, Flores joked in his broken English, "CJ said in an interview that he was surfing old-school. But that was the biggest air I ever seen in Huntington so he must be wrong." The gigantic backside air reverse Flores was referring to was, unfortunately, the last exciting ride of the contest and put Hobgood ahead of the light-footed Quizon and into the lackluster final. And after he held off Flores and was mobbed by the crowd, the media, his family and friends, Hobgood realized, once again, Huntington's obscure whirlwind of surroundings and said, "It's harder to close your eyes and take it all in here... but I'll get to it." Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill (Men) - ASP WQS 6-Star Lost Pro Junior - ASP Grade 2 Pro Junior U.S. Open of Longboarding |      |
 |
 |