Wanda beach's best ever surfer (claim!); Connor O’Leary took another giant step to qualifying for the WSL overnight when he won his first heat at the Mens QS10,000 at the Vans US Open of Surfing.
Each year, the Vans US Open of Surfing features the best surfers in the world tearing up the storied break at Huntington Beach. Along with competitions for skate and BMX and dozens of on-site sponsors, the nine-day festival features four separate surf contests, including Junior Tour contests for men and women, a high-stakes men's Qualifying Series battle, and a women's Championship Tour contest for the Top 17.
This is the hardest QS contest in the world and with Connor sitting in the top 15 we all should get behind him and push him onto the world tour! His next heat is a mindblower –Pupo, Ribeiro and Cooper Chapman-easy!
But back to our boring life, the surf today is still pretty good with 4-5ft waves still giving our beaches a bit of a pounding with winds offshore early but may be swinging to the south. Get in quick because the Swellnet report says its coming to an end with today the pick of the week, and 2ft screamers expected right into the weekend.
If it’s any consolation the winds look to be coming predominantly from the west, blowing straight from Menai with just a hint of sewerage plant in it (NWest)
I took today's pics at the Alley where it was crowded and a bit unpleasant-with the world Billy titles in full swing-even though there were a few good waves coming through.
We can't really complain with yesterday and today's conditions being better than expected-it has been a bit punishing with only the one bank at the Alley getting all the attention… hopefully the smaller swell will fix the rest of the beach.
Back to Huntington- the world’s best female surfers took on the high-performance beach breaks of the Pier to battle for a pass directly into Round 3.
It was an afternoon of upsets with defending event winner Tyler Wright (AUS), Jeep ratings leader Carissa Moore (HAW) and world no. 3 Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) all being sent to elimination Round 2 at the hands of Malia Manuel (HAW), Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) and Johanne Defay (FRA) respectively. Wright, Moore and Fitzgibbons will surf again tomorrow and battle to avoid an early exit.
Meanwhile at the NRMA NSW Grommet titles at Maroubra it was left to the diminutive Jarvis Earle who posted a second place in the u12 boys to fly the flag for the “Nulla” surfers. It was won by Winter Vincent (Manly) who capped off his NRMA NSW Grommet Titles campaign in style. Vincent performed a flurry of solid turns on tiny waves to post a heat total of 14.50 and get the edge over his opposition. Over the course of the three-day event the Northern Beaches natural-footer never posted a heat total under 13.17.
In other meaningless non-local news, anticipation is growing as the start of the 2015 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy approaches. The famed breaks surrounding Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa have been receiving their fair share of dry season swell already and it does not look like slowing down for the contest, now in its fifth year, which will run from August 3 - 9.
The champions-only event (Curren, Rasta, Neco Padaratz, Dorian, Mal rider Harley Ingelbury and Sophia Mulanovich) pits the world’s finest surfers across three thrilling divisions in a unique showcase of skill and camaraderie. The World Surf League (WSL) sanctioned specialty event is a spotlight occasion for the wave-rich country of the Maldives, and a sought after invite for surfing’s royalty each year.
Thrilling I know-imagine being there whilst it was on perfect timing you your mates and the world tour!
Anyway get onto Connor and push him for points!
