U.S. Open hopefuls wax rhino chasers as mega-swell set to hit Huntington Beach

XXXXXXL.

Today, July 25, is one of the most sacred on surfing’s yearly calendar. Yes, today, July 25, is the first day of the U.S. Open of Surfing, there in Huntington Beach, the annual bacchanal wherein fi-slamma-jamma professional surfing meets music meets the glorious potential for a riot.

Tomorrow, Real Estate and the Allah-Las take the stage but, for once, the biggest bangs won’t be coming from bass drums nor will they be coming from the exhaust pipes of monster trucks driven from Riverside but from the ocean.

Surf fans, of course, know that “fi-slamma-jamma professional surfing,” south of Huntington’s famed pier, usually means waist-high waves which require much hopping to ride. This year, however, is different. Tropical Storm Bertha, or some such, is stirring the seas and creating a mega-swell that will begin presenting today before ramping up to XXXL size on Wednesday then pulsing through the rest of the week.

The U.S. Open is, also of course, stop two on the Challenger Series meaning its points are extra-valuable for those hoping to take the leap to the Championship Tour. Currently, Cole Houshmand is atop the CS leaderboard but may be distracted after the arrest of his “G,” Andrew Tate, opening the door for Weslley Dantas, Jackson Bunch or even Jarvis Earle to vault to number one.

But you, if you are Southern California adjacent, will you make pilgrimage to Huntington in order to see heroes and heroines ride, ride, ride the wild surf or will you take in the action, via webcast, from the comfort of your own home?

Either way, excitement awaits.

And/or a very angry jihadist there to protest the sacrilege of the Allah-Las.