The Honda U.S. Open of Longboarding decided its four finalists, but not before some major upsets occurred. Dodger Kremel (Huntington Beach, CA), last year’s Honda U.S. Open of Longboarding Champion, was eliminated from this season’s competition in his first heat today. Also going down were event favorites, Rocky McKinnon (Huntington Beach, CA), Josh Baxter (San Clemente, CA) and Ned Snow (Honolulu, HI), Harley Ingleby (Aus) and Harrison Roach, (Aus).
Harley Ingleby: File Photo
Colin McPhillips (San Clemente, CA), former three-time ASP World Longboard
Champion, surfed brilliantly throughout the day to advance through to next
Sunday’s Honda U.S. Open of Longboarding Finals.
“This weekend was tricky with the lack of waves,” McPhillips said. “A lot of
it was luck out there. You had to be scanning lineup looking for the big
sets and you knew that if you got one, you were going to win the heat.”
The veteran natural-footer utilized his patented power-surfing approach to
standout amongst a field that was dominated by nose riders.
“I was just trying to generate as much speed as I could and throw my board
around,” McPhillips said. “I think throwing those big turns on the longboard
are pretty exciting. A lot of guys are going straight up to the nose and
trying to do a little turn at the end, but I think the judges are really
rewarding the power surfing.”
McPhillips will join Kai Sallas (Waikiki, HI), Taylor Jenson (Oceanside, CA)
and Cole Robbins (Santa Barbara, CA) next Sunday as they all vie for the
2007 Honda U.S. Open of Longboarding Title.
“It’s bitching – it’s the Super Bowl of surfing without a doubt,” McPhillips
said. “I just love to go out and put on a show for everyone. Sometimes you
get people coming up to you after your heat and saying how much they enjoyed
you surfing and that’s really an accomplishment.”