It’s what Surf City does best

It began in 1959 on the south side of the pier as the U.S.

Championships. A local by the name of Jack Haley won the inaugural

event -- the U.S./West Coast Surfing Championships.

It is what Surf City does best, and is famous for: the killer surf

and the U.S. Open of Surfing, whatever name it goes by -- U.S.

Championships, OP Pro or U.S. Open.

It is North America’s highest-rated qualifying event and the

world’s largest and most heavily attended professional surfing

competition. It was the first action sports event to be covered by

Sports Illustrated and ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.”

The 2003 Philips Fusion, as the overall event is now called, saw a

record number of crowds -- an estimated 300,000 over four days and

85,000 on Sunday alone.

The event is bigger than ever in terms of what is offered and the

crowd it draws. And yet, no riots and few other problems erupted.

There have been some complaints made by Downtown residents, about

vandalism and drunken teenagers mostly, and one known violent

incident, but overall, the event is a boon for the city. It brings

revenue to local businesses and name recognition to a town desperate

to become a tourist destination.

The notoriety of hosting one of surfing premier events has led

others, such as X Games organizers, to take notice and bring their

events here, too.

But the U.S. Open brings excitement, crowds and a buzz unlike any

other. The once-sleepy surf town, known just for its waves, draws all

the big names in the sport of surfing from across the globe, not just

for the competition, but for the Surfing Walk of Fame and now the

Surfer’s Hall of Fame.

For the past 10 years, surf icons have been called to Huntington

Beach to be honored and immortalized on the sidewalk in front of

Jack’s Surfboards. In the last two years, a similar tradition has

popped up across the street.

The open and surrounding events help preserve the history of surf

culture that was once so prevalent here. It is part of what makes

Surf City what it is.

While the city needs to be sure there are enough police to handle

crowds, it is an event the majority of community embraces, and

rightly so.

Congratulations to the surfers, organizers, volunteers and

businesses that made for yet another successful U.S. Open here in

Surf City.