Arthur will get his shot at Open

When the U.S. Open of Surfing, presented by O’Neill, launches its 15th year of competition today, it will do so by offering its most diverse and largest field of competitors.

Rippers from around the globe will be after the same prize: the glory of winning on one of the biggest surfing stages in the world.

Laguna Beach will be represented in the contest.

Founded in 1994, the U.S. Open of Surfing spearheads Go211 Live and runs through July 27 at the Huntington Beach Pier. In addition to having the top pro surfers on the ASP World Tour and amateurs world-wide vying in various surfing competitions, an array of sports action activities will take place on 16 1/2 acres south of the pier. BMX and skateboarding competitions and events, staged in the Soul Bowl, as well as FMX events, begin Thursday.

The festival surf village also opens Thursday.

Sanctioned surfing events include men’s and women’s pro and junior divisions, and longboarding.

The U.S. Open of Surfing is the highest-rated qualifying contest in North America. This year, 516 athletes worldwide representing 28 counties are expected in Surf City for the 10-day event.

In the Honda Men’s U.S. Open of Surfing, 192 competitors are entered in the main event, 96 more in the trials “” which begin today “” and 30 more are on the alternate list.

One local entered in this year’s event is Ryah Arthur, a first-time entrant in the U.S. Open Men’s field.

The Laguna Beach resident has his first taste of heat competition today during the opening trials.

Arthur, who attended Saddleback College for the past 1 1/2 years, has been sponsored by Billabong since his freshman year at Laguna Beach High, he said.

“I recently got really serious about surfing and just starting out this year,” the 20-year-old said. “I’ve been doing some WQS (World Qualifying Series) contests and the Pro Jr. Series. I’ve been surfing Huntington Beach every day for the past few weeks, getting ready for the U.S. Open.

“I’m excited to go. I’m definitely looking to make the finals of the trials.”

One Laguna surfer absent from this year’s men’s line-up is Mike Todd, who said he hasn’t entered any WQS events this year. Todd said he had been competing at the U.S. Open of Surfing since 1996.

C.J. Hobgood of Florida won his first U.S. Open Men’s title last July. Cory Lopez, also of Florida and the 2003 men’s champ, is in a standout field that includes, among others, Chris Ward (USA), 2000 winner Sunny Garcia (Hawaii) and Patrick Gudauskas of San Clemente, who is ranked No. 1 on the World Qualifying Series.

Colin McPhillips (San Clemente) won the U.S. Open of Longboarding last year.

This year’s women’s division, featuring 60 competitors, is just as impressive as the men’s. Three wold champions “” Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), Sofia Mulanovich (Peru)and Layne Beachley (Australia), 16 of the top 18 on the ASP World Tour and nine of the top 10 in the current WQS rankings will battle it out for the crown.

Gilmore won the women’s U.S. Open title last year, succeeding Mulanovich who captured the prize in 2006. Mulanovich and Gilmore currently rank 1-2 on the World Tour.

Beachley, a seven-time world champion, is looking to win for the second time. She won it all in 1996.

MIKE SCIACCA covers sports. He can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or by e-mail at [email protected].