Bigger waves showed up for the second day of action as competitors from around the world battled on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier on Thursday, Aug. 8, for the second day of the US Open of Surfing.
The Challenger Series event, where competitors hope to earn points toward their effort to join the elite World Tour, saw 4- to 6-foot waves show up, with even bigger expected on Friday.
The men took to the water to compete, with mixed results for local surfers. San Clemente’s Crosby Colapinto, a World Tour rookie and runner up of last year’s event, took the second spot in his heat in the round of 64 to advance.
It was a tough heat when fellow San Clemente surfers and friends Cole Houshmand and Kade Matson matched up in the four-person group.
Marco Mignot of France gets some air and scores a 9.67 as he surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mignot finished first in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cole Houshmand of San Clemente gets some air as he surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Houshmand finished second in the heat and advances to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
John Mel of Santa Cruz surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mel finished last in the heat and will not advance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kade Matson of San Clemente surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Matson finished third in the heat and will not advance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Marco Mignot of France kicks up some water as he surfs near the pier in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mignot finished first in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kolohe Andino of San Clemente surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Andino finished second in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cole Houshmand of San Clemente kicks up some water as he surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Houshmand finished second in the heat and advances to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crosby Colapinto of San Clemente surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Colapinto finished second in the heat and advances to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crosby Colapinto of San Clemente surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Colapinto finished second in the heat and advances to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crosby Colapinto of San Clemente waves to surfing fans after finishing second in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Colapinto advances to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kolohe Andino of San Clemente surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Andino finished second in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Marco Mignot of France kicks up some water as he surfs near the pier in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mignot finished first in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Marco Mignot of France signals to the crowd after scoring a 9.67 on a wave while surfing in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mignot finished first in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cole Houshmand of San Clemente surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Houshmand finished second in the heat and advances to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach who surfs for Japan, rides a wave near the Huntington Beach Pier in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Igarashi finished last in the heat and will not advance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kade Matson of San Clemente kicks up some water as he surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Matson finished third in the heat and will not advance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Charly Quivront of France falls off his board as he surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Quivront finished third in the heat and will not advance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Marco Mignot of France gets some air as he surfs near the pier in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mignot finished first in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach who surfs for Japan, hangs on to his board as he jumps off a wave in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Igarashi finished last in the heat and will not advance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Marco Mignot of France gets some air and scores a 9.67 as he surfs in the Round of 64 of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Mignot finished first in the heat and will advance to the Round of 32. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Houshmand, also a World Tour competitor, took second spot in the heat to advance while Matson, who is trying to regain the ranks of the world’s best after suffering a mid-year cut earlier this year, was knocked out of the event.
Matson, who sits high in the Challenger Series rankings, still has two more events to try and requalify.
Long Beach’s Nolan Rapoza also was eliminated Thursday, as was two-time US Open of Surfing champion Kanoa Igarashi when he went up against San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino in the final heat of the day.
