As each freestyle motorcycle rider turned, flipped and chucked their bikes and bodies through the sky, right on the sand with the ocean just feet away, spectator Tina Greenwood would scream with glee.
Her husband, Joseph, showed up for the surf. But she was all about the moto riders putting on a show.
“I’ve always loved dirtbikes. They are so brave with what they can do. They are magnificent, it’s an art,” said Greenwood, who drove from Palmdale to Huntington Beach on Saturday, July 26, for her first-ever Lexus US Open of Surfing. “I love all of it. It’s a blast. The whole thing, I don’t think I’ll ever miss another one.”
The mega event kicked off on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier with crowds checking out the dozens of booths set up on the sand, the No Cap! Freestyle Moto Show and of course, the surfing.
An elaborate sandcastle welcomed visitors, the crowds swelling through the day.
Beachgoers came from near and far, finding spots on the sand to soak in the competition in the water, even more people lined the pier to watch from above.
Utah resident Danae Rowan brought her daughter, Ellie Roche, 19, for a late summer vacation before she heads back to college.
“We don’t know a ton about surfing, so she did some googling before we came about how they walk up and back,” Rowan said of the longboarder competitors who took to the water on opening day. “I think it’s been interesting to watch.”
The cool ocean breeze was a nice break from the 100-degree weather back home, she said.
Roche admitted she was still trying to figure out how the competition and scoring system worked.
“But I know it’s fun to watch,” she said. “I think it’s pretty cool.”
Rowan’s boyfriend, Paul Tayton, also from Utah, was also impressed.
“It’s so chill. The water is beautiful. It’s so relaxing, you can come out here and half pay attention, half chill,” he said.
Gail and Dan Ringler once called Huntington Beach home, but had to move to San Diego a few years back for a work transfer.
Dan Ringler remembers the old OP Pro days, when the crowds were shoulder-to-shoulder, with all the action focusing on the water. He likes the new additions, like the shaded areas where people can sit in lounges, taking in all the activity.
It has been four years since their last visit, and the couple marveled at the changes while sipping on a margarita in the Beach Bar area.
“It’s 100% different, way cooler,” said Gail Ringler. “I don’t think we could even drink on the sand back then. This is amazing, the whole setup, this is way better.”
In the water, the longboarders kicked off the contest action in 2- to 3-foot surf.
San Clemente’s Kai McPhillips drew a big support crew on the sand. He grew up shortboarding and competing in the juniors and the World Surf League’s Qualifying Series growing up, before switching to longboarding about a year ago.
“This is my first big event. Definitely some nerves, but once I was out there, the excitement kind of took over and the nerves went away,” said McPhillips, who came in second behind reigning champ Taylor Jensen to make it into the next round on Sunday.
He has some big shoes to fill, he said. His father, Colin McPhillips, is a longboard world champion and two-time US Open of Surfing longboard winner, first in 1994 and again in 2007.
“It’s a big name to live up to, so I have to perform, but it’s also really cool,” he said. “We have his trophy above the fireplace, so I think possibly getting one in this contest would be pretty awesome.”
Jensen, now 41, used to compete against the elder McPhillips and was “tripping out” when he saw Kai’s name in the heat draw.
“I’ve reached the age where I’m competing against my competitor’s kids,” the Oceanside surfer said with a chuckle. “That’s pretty gnarly. Me and Colin fought for world titles.”
Jensen has a long history with the US Open, winning five titles throughout the past 25 years, his latest win at last year’s event.
“I love Huntington, this place is like a second home to me,” he said. “I’ve done so many events over the years.”
He doesn’t see retirement on the horizon anytime soon, he added.
“You don’t want to give up, I’m living the dream — traveling the world, surfing with my family and friends,” he said.
Advice for the next generation coming up against him?
“Stay with it, don’t give up on your dreams,” he said. “Go all in and make it happen.”
The US Open continues daily on the southside of the Huntington Beach Pier through Aug. 3. Sunday’s schedule:
- Hungry? Food trucks line the festival area, with more than a dozen choices for lunch or a snack during the event. At 1 p.m. catch the Lexus Culinary Master Food Sampling in the Lexus House and Sunday.
- On the sand, don’t miss the No Cap! Freestyle Moto Show from motocross legend and 16-time X Games medalist Jarryd McNeil, sponsored by No Cap! Soda Pop. McNeil, Taka Higashino, Wyatt Fontenot and Levia Farias will showcase their extreme motocross skills on a track created on the southside of the pier. Shows will be held 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
- At 4 p.m., Capital Dub, Lively Up and Casey Smiles take to the stage. Tickets are available online. Music performances will be held at the Beach Bar, south of the pier. All shows are ages 21 and older. A portion of ticket sales benefits the Surfrider Foundation, which works to protect and preserve the world’s oceans and beaches.
More info: usopenofsurfing.com