Mr. Marshall, making Encinitas proud. Photo: WSL
The US Open happened again. And thanks to Mother Nature, this year we are certainly better for it. A week that featured pumping hurricane swell with relatively good summer conditions culminated in a San Diego County sweep: Sierra Kerr, who lives part time in Carlsbad, and Jake Marshall, a proud Encinitas local, both won their first US Open of Surfing titles.
Along with Marshall, the event saw a healthy number of Championship Tour regulars dip down to try and secure their spots on the CT. Kanoa Igarashi lost to Marshall in the final and Griffin Colapinto lost to Igarashi in the semis – after beating Mateus Herdy in the quarters. Marshall, with his first major surfing victory, now jumps into to the Challenger series lead thanks to the 10,000 extra points with the win. Marshall, Igarashi, Herdy and Cole Hoshmand (who made the round of 16 here) are all sitting in the top 10 where they would requalify for the CT through the Challenger Series. Any double qualifiers will open up more spots on the CS for other surfers (so stay tuned).
And some really good news? Sierra Kerr finally looked strong again. I bumped into her mid-week and she said this is the year she’s focusing on her qualification for the big show, after choosing to take a slower route as a youngster to enjoy childhood – and then fighting through sickness in 2025. (She contracted Lyme disease sometime during her travels.) She told me she finally feels good. Definitely showed.
The 19-year-old is so well rounded. Kerr can take to the air at a level that’s defining the women’s side right now. And then on the same wave use a really well-refined rail game that appeals to traditionalists. The waves allowed her to show that off throughout the week. But it wasn’t easy. She beat Johanne Defay in the semis – who looks like she’s ready to compete next week in Tahiti after maternity leave – Alyssa Spencer in the quarters, and Kirra Pinkerton in the Round of 16. It was the way she won, too. Everyone pointed this out, but she had several last-second finishes to win heats on the final wave. That’s a good indicator for CT success, when she gets there. Just being able to grind it out and have the confidence that if you get that last wave, you can convert heats. Speaking of getting there, the win easily thrust Kerr to the top of the Challenger Series heap.
No matter what Mother Nature threw at her, Sierra Kerr capitalized. Photo: WSL
The surfing was excellent, as always, where new names appeared as threats to qualify for the CT (see Gabriel Klaussner), but this week, the waves were, without questions, the star. The US Open just works better (and everyone is in a better mood) when the waves are good. Hurricane Genevieve provided surf all week long, mostly in the five to eight-foot range (with more than a few bigger gems), and shifty peaks including a racy left that barreled early in the week, giving the summer vacationers a show. (“What’s goin’ on out here? Those are some biiig waaaves.“)
All and all a good comeback for the League and the city of Huntington after the swell-starved event last year. On to Tahiti, where it looks like the opening of the window, August 8, might be blessed with waves, too.
