Date of Birth: May 13, 1990
Best Known For: Being Malibu's most wanted
Local Spot: Point Dume
My Crew: All my friends from Malibu plus others from all over
Board of Choice: A 5'11" Roberts Surfboard, personally my model the "Dill Pickle"?
Dream Wave: A perfect barreling righthander into a sandbar air section, right?
| My Top Five: | 1.) Sushi 2.) Surfing 3.) Fun (skating/basketball/video games/hanging on the beach with all your friends/anything fun to do) 4.) Cars 5.) Friends/Family |
Hurley's Dillon Perillo got it done. After narrowly missing qualification at Lowers for the $75,000 Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge, he decided to cross the Pacific this past weekend and make it happen at Shidashita Point in Chiba.
Going up against fellow Hurley rider Mitch Crews, Aussie Chris Friend and Japan's Arashi Kato, Dillon came through in the small beachbreak conditions. He'll now join a growing list of Junior heavy hitters for the Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge in Bali in October — the richest Junior event on tour.
Congrats, Dillon!
Local hero Brett Simpson takes home the largest prize purse in surfing history. Check the gallery here. Photos: Michael Lallande and Beau Roulette
Before 150,000 screaming fans, Brett Simpson fulfilled a childhood dream: to win the US Open at his home break. He couldn't have picked a better year to do it, as his main sponsor, Hurley, had an unprecedented $100,000 on offer for the winner. "There's nothing better than sleeping in my bed during the biggest event of my life," said Simpson. "I stuck to the same routine all week, and somehow it all worked out. I can't even begin to describe what I'm feeling right now."
Simpson defeated 2007 world champ Mick Fanning in a final that saw some exciting exchanges in the beginning but lulled out toward the end as the tide increased. But the lull couldn't come soon enough for Simpson, who took the lead from the opening exchange and never gave it up. His best wave, a big hack with an air reverse on the end section, earned a 9.1. “When you’re riding on the ski in front of the crowd and you hear the applause it definitely pumps you up,” Simpson said. “Every time I was feeling a bit tired, the energy level of the crowd would lift me right up. It’s unbelievable to have all the support and my family and friends here with me. This is the best day of my life.”
After a few years of close calls on the World Qualifying Series, Simpson is now in good position for the coveted Top 45. This is by far his biggest win and the most significant result of his career. "I'm really focused on the points right now," he said. "But for Hurley to step up is just so good for the sport. To be the winner of the biggest prize purse ever is just icing on the cake for me."
The Hurley US Open of Surfing will certainly go down as one of the most -- if not the most -- US Opens of all time. So many memorable moments occurred over the nine-day period, it's impossible to list them all here. But a few that will be added to the "50-year timeline": Kelly's perfect 10 in the Round of 16, CJ Hobgood's impossible escape acts, Kai Barger's dominance in the Nike 6.0 Jr. Pro, 16-year-old Courtney Conlogue's gutsy performance, putting together the highest combined heat score for a female in US Open history and, of course, local boy Brett Simpson collecting the record-breaking 100K check.
As longtime observer and former world champ Peter "PT" Townend says, "The ultimate surf stadium is back, and it's bigger and better than ever before."
For full results from today's action, go to: www.usopenofsurfing.com/LIVE.
[Special thanks to the City of Huntington Beach, the HB lifeguards and police department and all the people who helped make this event the best US Open in history.]
Cutting through the fog in the Round of 144. All Photos: Michael Lallande
Huntington woke up with a case of the Mondays today as the weekend's perfect weather transformed to thick, summer fog at dawn. That put the Hurley US Open of Surfing on hold for an hour and a half, but when the mist lifted, we were greeted to fun, shoulder-high peaks and relatively light winds all day.
Nat Young wasted no time in picking up where he left off in the NIke 6.0 Pro Junior when he posted a 9.4 — the day's highest score. Surfing down toward "Machado's Peak," the 17-year-old upstart from Santa Cruz went right and opened up with three vertical hacks. "Definitely liked the rights out there today," said Young. "They're a little bowlier and offer more potential."
Young will now surf against the big boys in the Round of 96, with Damien Hobgood, Sunny Garcia and Tonino Benson filling out his heat. With 100K on the line, you can be sure that the veterans won't go easy on the rookies. "I don't care who I have to paddle over," 2000 world champ Sunny Garcia said. "I'm gonna do everything I can to win this contest."
Other success stories today included fellow up-and-comer Evan Geiselman, who nailed an air reverse for a big win. His older brother, Eric, also came up with a victory, while World Junior Champ Kai Barger marched on with a first-place scalp.
Perhaps South African standout Travis Logie summed up the day best after cracking a left three times for a win. "This place just makes you excited to perform," he said. "It's one of the closest things we have to a stadium."
Tomorrow will finish up the Round of 144 and begin the Round of 96. This is where the top seeds lie in waiting, including nine-time world champ Kelly Slater, three-time world champ Andy Irons and 2007 world champ Mick Fanning. In other words, there's a whole lot of star power about to shine at the Hurley US Open of Surfing.
Stay tuned for regular video updates right here at the Pier.
Stay tuned for more extensive coverage of the US Open of Surfing on www.hurley.com and www.usopenofsurfing.com.
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow us on Twitter@HurleyLive.
For full results from today's action, go to: www.usopenofsurfing.com/LIVE.
