波乗り日記

U.S Open of Surfing 2

U.S Open of Surfingの最終日に出向く．サーフィンやって4年ほど経つけど，プロの大会に行くってのは実は初めて．最終日は，1Heat20分で4人のうち2人が次のステップに進める．ベスト32から決勝までの合計15Heatが朝8:00〜夕方まで行われた．出てる選手は世界ランク1位のアンディ・アイアン，カラニ・ロブ，ホグフッド兄弟，ロブ・マチャド，ティム・カレン等など，エキシビジョンでケリー・スレータまででたから，会場は凄い熱気だった．

波の方は昨日から届いたうねりによって，頭半程度の波がバシバシ割れてる．ビーチブレイクだけにかなりクローズアウトぎみやねんけど，それでもプロはきっちりと技を仕掛けてくる．スピード切れ味すべてがIncredibleやった．結果の方は1位コリー・ロペス，２位がタジ・バロウ，３位がアンディ・アイアン．決勝以外も見どころ満載の大会やった．

今回は写真と動画（画像汚く，小さいけど）もあげておく．
コリー・ロペスの優勝を決めたRiding(520kb)
表彰式(624kb)

それにしてもサーフィンの大会におじいちゃんや子供連れの家族等，幅広い年齢層の人が集まるカリフォルニアの風土にびっくりした．日本やったら俺らぐらいの若者しか集まらんから，こんなデカイ大会なんて無理なんやろう．あと今回のU.S. Open of Surfingはチャリティもかねてて，エキシビジョンでは半身不随の人がロブ・マチャドと一緒にサーフィンするなんてイベントもあった．最初はやらせっぽいなーって思ってたへそ曲がりな俺やけど，波に乗る障害者と，それに沸き上がる観衆にまぎれて少し感動した．

I went to Huntington beach to watch the U.S. Open of Surfing. It is final day today, so we had a final. To be honest, this is first time for me to see a professional competition in spite of four year's surfing. In one heat, which is called one elimination in Surfing, four competitors compete and two of them can go to the next step. Fifteen heats were performed in all from AM8:00 to evening. Andy Irons, who is now the top surfer in the world, Kalani Rob, Hoghood brothers, Rob Machado, and Tim Curren, and others competed in this competition. How amazing and enthusiastic the competiion was !

And also, the waves which had been made by SSW swell since yesterday were over head and were welcoming the U.S. Open of Surfing. Even though the waves looked like close-out section, the amazing professionals did surfing so well that they excited audience so much. All of their surfing were incredible. In the result, Cory Lopez was the front, Taj Barrow was the second, and Andy Irons was the third position. I realize that the competion satisfied all of us successfuly.

By the way, I was surprised that a variety of ages people including old people and families who had small children came this event. If the same size of competition were held in Japan, only young people like me would go. I wish Surfing in Japan would be as popular as in CA. In addition, this competition contributed to the charities. One partially paralyzed surfer got a wave with Rob Machado in the exhibition. I felt this was a kind of made-up at first, but I was impressed with his riding and the delightful audiences after the exhibition.

Posted by fun2wave at August 3, 2003 11:39 PM | トラックバック