|
|
|
Op Pro |
 The Largest Surfing EncyclopediaA-Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Advertisement
|
|
|
Nobody but starstruck grommets dream of surfing Huntington. It closes out, it's smelly and more fish are killed from surfers hopping through to the shorebreak than from fisherman along the pier.
However, it's the most accessible spot in Orange County, the cradle of surfing civilization, and there is always something to ride. Add a massive steel pier serving as built-in bleachers, and there's no better venue for a surf contest. From the moment the hooter sounded commencing the 1982 Op Pro, it was the most important surf contest in the world. There were other events at Huntington. The US Championships occurred annually in the '60s, pitting iron-legged longboarders against concrete pilings. Corky Carroll won six times and became a legend. The Katin Pro-Am, held on the north side of the pier in the winter, was a cult classic. But, with a few exceptions, it was an all-California affair. Professional surfing had been born in 1976 -- without the United States. Australia, South Africa and Hawaii (technically the United States but thousands of miles away) were hosting events and pumping out surf stars. Scant mainlanders even surfed on the tour and none had infiltrated the IPS top 10. In 1982, a company that didn't serve the hard-core surfer, but the inland wanna-be, stepped to the plate and changed everything. Ocean Pacific brought the world to California, and waiting for the world was Op's debut pro, Tom Curren. A love affair blossomed that would spark the biggest boom in surfing since Gidget sold out the lifestyle in 1959. Contest director Ian Cairns also introduced the priority buoy, a big orange beach ball that would turn routine paddle battles into the Kentucky Derby. Australian Cheyne Horan, the most popular surfer in the world before Curren's arrival, won the first event over Shaun Tomson with a crowd-inciting backside 360, but the real winner was American surfing. Over the next few years, as Curren dominated the Op Pro and rose to claim the world title for the United States, the surf industry went through the roof. By 1985, Curren found a nemesis -- Mark Occhilupo. Occy would win the Op in 1985 and 1986, but his clashes with Curren would be the highlights of the year. Twenty thousand spectators hung on their every move, and their sponsors reaped the windfall. It was competition at its best, and every grommet in the world pretended to be one of them each time they paddled out at their local beach. Meanwhile, Florida's Frieda Zamba was the winningest Op competitor, flat out owning the womens' side with five titles. The event grew from a surfing contest into a carnival, complete with skate demos, Jet Skis, MTV, a trade show and, of course, the silicon-injected bikini contest. In 1986, the pot boiled over, erupting into a full-scale riot just behind the bleachers as Occy and fellow Aussie Glen Winton were surfing the final. It had gone too big, and it was time to scale back. The Op Pro was once again a surfing contest, albeit a big one. An Op Junior division was added that would display future talent such as Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Kalani Robb and Tim Curran. In 1992, the event attempted a team format between competing countries. With Slater as anchor, the United States prevailed, but the industry was languishing amid an economic recession and the event didn't have the spark of the old showdowns. The event was demoted to a qualifier in 1993, where it played second fiddle to the WCT's US Open. The Open, with man-on-man confrontations between the world's best, didn't miss a beat. It had a new name, but to the surfers and the fans, the only difference was that American surfing had a new darling in Kelly Slater. In 1998, Op returned as the title sponsor as Andy Irons shot to victory. Gotcha assumed the responsibilities in 1999's Brazilian-dominated grovel-fest, while the web company Bluetorch picked up the tab for the 2000 event. Whoever the sponsor and whoever the winner, the point is that American surfing needs a major event at Huntington. It needs heroes and villains, interferences and paddle battles. Without it, the industry will suffer, but more importantly, the kids will stop dreaming. -- Jason Borte, September 2000
|
|
