Predicted Winners Of The US Open Of Surfing 2021

The US Open starts today in Huntington Beach. After rubbing the crystal ball before bed last night, the winners appeared before me in a dream. Let me tell you who gets the drip. 

First things first, the forecast — dismal. This year, like almost every other year, the US Open will be plagued by small waves, patchy peaks, and swathes of mostly-drunk, moderate-climate surf fans grazing through overpriced merch tents, occasionally lifting their gaze toward the lineup to be underwhelmed by the grovel-off.

For reference, yesterday was chest-high and the swell is dropping for the next several days, which means this will likely be a slow contest and whoever does the biggest single turn or air wins. If we’re lucky, we’ll see an upset from a nameless surfer who waits for a rare set and links together three turns to get the score. We will credit them with strategic genius.

This year’s event features multiple CT surfers keen to pre-emptively dog-shot aspiring challengers. This includes Conner Coffin, Kanoa Igarashi, Jack Robbo, Miguel Pupo, and Griffin Colapinto, all of whom have requalified for the 2022 CT.

For someone like Kanoa who finished #8 in 2021, this event is a chance to keep his skills sharp in the off-season and potentially raise his third US Open trophy in front of his hometown following back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018. Wicked cool.

Other notable surfers competing today are Surf 100 winner, Mason Ho, Surf 100 commentator, Kolohe Andino, and Stab High finalists Mateus Herdy and Ian Crane, all of whom could cause major upsets in the drivel with above-the-lip wizardry. 

Because there are 96 men in this event, male surfers will need to win seven heats to be the tallest people on the podium. Unless of course 5’4” Hiroto Ohara wins the final against 6’3” Slade Prestwich, in which case, Slade will still be taller. 

On the Women’s side, Caroline Marx #6, Courtney Conlogue #8, and Isabella Nichols #9 are among the 2021 CT contingent also doing the first Challenger Series event. Other names to note in the draw are: Electric Acid Surfboard Test-er, Coco Ho, jiu-jitsu blue belt, Brisa Hennessey, North Shore powerhouse, Bettylou Sakura Johnson, Ladybird, Cait Simmers, and Pickup Host, Hol Wawn. 

Given the poor wave quality, anyone over who can do those spinny air things is poised for success. On the men’s side, this means that either Mateus Herdy, Kanoa Ig, Reef Hazelwood, Griffin, or Robbo takes it out. On the women’s it means Ms. Marx, Caity Simmers, or Mol Picklum. 

As for the event winners, I was lying about knowing them. Don’t trust everything you read on the internet. But yeah safe money’s on Kanoa and Marx to make a finals appearance.