Date of Birth: November 16, 1985

Best Known For: Collecting modern clips

Local Spot: Gas

My Crew: Dino, Shorty, Joel, Seabass

Board of Choice: 6'0” x 18.375” x 2.25” Merrick MBM+ Squash

Dream Wave: Keramus

We hung out and got waves from Balina all the way up to Stradbroke Island. There has been plenty of surf shots from the journey on websites like Surfing, Stab and Surfing Life for you to check out...

Hopefully i nailed some more cool footage to make my section look the goods. After watching the other guys surf over the last few months im a little scared as those guys have been doing the craziest stuff ever!

I took my camera to the Gold Coast and shot a whole bunch of fun picture that you can check out at http://lifewithoutandy.com/galleries/2008-2009/winter/181

Enjoy...

Y

The beach fills up as Slater, Fanning, Irons and Machado march closer to $100,000. Photos: M

Upwards of 50,000 people were on hand today to witness the action in the water and experience the opening day of the Beach Festival. With more than 120 booths, NIke 6.0's BMX half pipe and the Converse mini-bowl, music from acts like Sashamon going well into happy hour and countless giveaways and exhibitions, there is no doubt this is one of the country's biggest summer happenings. And it's tough to believe it's only Thursday. Brace yourselves for some serious traffic as we collide with a giant south swell and sweltering temperatures. Magic.

But this is what the Hurley US Open of Surfing is all about. It is a true spectator's event, where kids and fans get to mob heroes like Kelly Slater, Andy Irons and Rob Machado as they exit the water. Today was all that and more, as the big names all made it through their heats. "This place definitely has you on edge in the water," said Machado, who held off upstarts like Owen Wright in his heats today. "The nerves are going, everyone's watching, you just have to put your head down and go by instinct."

Clearly, "The Drifter" has not lost his competitive prowess, plowing through his Round of 96 and Round of 48 heats today. His old friend and sparring partner Kelly Slater had equal success, blazing to a victory today in heat 9.

As it stands, practically all the favorites are still in contention for the $100,000 first-place check. 2007 world champ Mick Fanning, who blazed his heats today as well, is planning on going to Vegas right after this event. "Wouldn't mind having a little extra spending money," he said. It only gets better: tomorrow will see more Mens action, the Hurley Pro Trials, the Walk the Walk Grand Championship and much, much more.

Come down to the beach or check it all out here:

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

. WATCH THE LIVE WEBCAST STARTING TOMORROW AT 8. AM: http://www.hurley.com/usopen/.

A long, grueling day as the top seeds make their first appearance. Photos: Michael Lallande

Top of the list was rising star Julian Wilson in his Round of 144 heat, who posted a 9 and 8.33 with relative effortlessness. "I've been here a week and haven't surfed much," said Wilson. "But today was fun — some of the funnest Huntington I've surfed."

The fog eventually lifted for the Round of 96, where many of the top seeds made their opening remarks today. At the top of the heap was three-time world champ Andy Irons, who — as a WPS All Star — made his first appearance in Huntington in four years. Andy surfed exceptional in the challenging afternoon conditions, easily winning his heat. "Huntington's always been good to me," said Irons, who took a year off from the tour this year. "I kind of had some anxiety before my heat, you're in such a fishbowl here. But as soon as I hit the water, it all came back. Just stoked to be a part of it all."

Irons, along with Mick Fanning, Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons, CJ Hobgood and Rob Machado, will be a part of the upcoming WPS All Star festivities this weekend. With two PWC-assist expression sessions slated and a solid, double-overhead swell coming down the pike, it could all come together for some serious fireworks.

Other standouts today included Brazil's Miguel Pupo, who stuck the loftiest air of the day. Local Brett Simpson also shined, winning his heat and continuing his mission to qualify. ASP World Tour surfer Adriano de Souza and Travis Logie had a slug-fest with some solid high scores, and Modern Collective surfers Dusty Payne and Yadin Nicol put in solid efforts. Perhaps 2001 CJ Hobgood —who also won his heat — summed it up best. "Huntington's a tricky place," he said. "There isn't big difference between 3s and 8s out here, so you never really feel safe. But it keeps you on your toes, that's for sure."

The top seeds have to stay on their toes, as vets Damien Hobgood and Sunny Garcia found out in their heat today. Surfing against teenagers Nat Young and Tonino Benson, one would have thought this heat a foregone conclusion. But Young and Benson didn't bow down, and tail-whipped their way to a major upset. "That was, like, the hardest heat I've ever made," said Young. "I mean, those guys have been world champs and stuff."

Tomorrow will see the completion of the Round of 96, including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Mick Fanning and Taylor Knox. The Women will also hit the water, featuring rising stars like Carissa Moore, Coco Ho and Malia Manuel, along with reigning world champ Stephanie Gilmore. All the action —starting with the women — begins tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Men start at 1:30.

See you there.

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.