Day Four of the U.S. Open of Surfing was a good day to be on the sand, and a tough day to be in the water. With ripping current and pumping waves courtesy of Hurricane Frank, athletes had their work cut out for them to find opportunities to score in Huntington Beach.
Opportunities were out there, though, as demonstrated by Kolohe Andino’s sneaky barrel ride, and the plethora of airs sent by the likes of Imaikalani deVault, but it took keen wave selection and a willingness to send it when the opportunity arose to advance.
The round of 48 was a grudge match to say the least, taking out top names like Andino, Kanoa Igarashi, and Julian Wilson, with buzzer-beater finishes to boot. Today, the Men’s Round of 24 is in the water, as surfers like Joao Chianca, Zeke Lau, and Ian Gentil continue their campaign for CT qualification.
