PHOTOS OF US OPEN OF SURFING AND BEACH GAMES SURFER AT PIER
 

US Open of Surfing and Beach Games in Huntington Beach, California -Bank of the West Beach Games held in Huntington Beach, California, is an extreme sports competition that brings surfing, skateboarding, motocross and BMX together in one location on the beaches of Huntington Beach. Accented by live music, this celebration of Southern California beach culture is designed for all ages. Carrying skateboards, surfboards, on rollerblades and pushing bicycles or baby strollers, over 250,000 tourists and local Southern Californians gather to enjoy entertainment and sports action at the annual surfing and extreme sports event held the last week of July at Huntington City Beach. The event is located near the intersection Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The 2007 Bank of the West Beach Games will take place at the Huntington Beach Pier July 21 - 29, 2007. More than 500 world-class athletes representing a dozen countries will battle over 10 days and across five divisions, all chasing a $185,000 prize purse. The giant Honda U.S. Open of Surfing, which anchors the Bank of the West Beach Games, boasts North America’s only six-star World Qualifying Series-rated men’s and women’s competitions, longboarding and men’s and women’s junior disciplines. The Honda Men’s U.S. Open showcases 240 competitors and a $125,000 purse while the women’s division offers $30,000 in cash prizes to its field of 60 women.

Women’s Junior Pro and the Pro Junior for men (field of 120) are each the largest event of their kinds in the U.S. With many competitors doing double-duty in the “open,” the junior divisions historically offer a glimpse of surfing’s next generation of top pros, with a champions list headlined by Kelly Slater, Rob Machado and Andy Irons. The $10,000 O’Neill U.S. Open of Longboarding features soulful maneuvers on nine-foot (minimum length) boards mixed with modern aerials and awesome displays of power.

For many years the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing WQS format featured a four-person (top two surfers advance) format from start to finish and a priority system drastically different from the elite World Championship Tour (WCT).

Skaters and bikers drop into the 13 foot deep kidney-shaped “pool” and vie for $50,000 in prize money. Prior competitors include Brian Patch, Tony Magnusson, Cara-Beth Burnside, Mat “Condor” Hoffman and Kevin Robinson. The Bank of the West Beach Games also hosts the Karch Kiraly Invitational, a six-team, four-person beach volleyball competition, July 30-31. Top male and female beach volleyball players from throughout California will be representing a designated city beach location along the California coastline to benefit the Keep California Beautiful organization.

Thousands of spectators will also enjoy the Bank of the West Beach Games’ interactive festival featuring the TransWorld Surf Village and Stage and Teen Vogue Fashion Live! More than 80 exhibits, athlete autograph signings, dance contests, DJs, guest emcees and prize giveaways are among the myriad activities. Just north of the pier, the Bank of the West Concert Stage creates a soundtrack for today’s lifestyle sports, with national and regional acts performing live during the final weekend.

Past bands include Hoobastank, Lit and Ozomatli. “IMG is proud to welcome back Bank of the West as the title sponsor of this year’s Beach Games,” said James Leitz, vice president for IMG Action Sports. "Their ongoing support of and commitment to the Southern California market underscores the heritage and tradition of this great Surf City USA event.”