The Challenger Series makes its second stop of the season in California this week at the iconic US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. A pretty sweet swell forecast should provide some high-quality action for the surfers competing amid the event's famously electric atmosphere in 'Surf City USA'. For the first time, there are two surfers representing Great Britain at an event of this level.
Wales' Alys Barton pulls on her Challenger Series competition vest for only the second time following a promising start last month in South Africa. She's joined in the draw by superstar Sky Brown. The multiple Olympic medallist and world champion skateboarder lives just down the road and has received a wildcard for the event on home turf as she no doubt keeps one eye on the LA 2028 Olympics.
Alys Barton Photo: WSL/Masurel
Alice Barton on the The U.S. Open
It's been really good over here so far. I arrived about a week ago and was lucky enough to surf Huntington with only a handful of people out, which was great. It gave me a chance to get a feel for the waves before all the QS crowds arrived, as everyone knows how hectic it gets! It's been great training with my dad, Jason Apparicio and the rest of our crew, and I'm really excited for the event to get underway today.
My main takeaway from Ballito was that I was really happy with my performance in the heat. I felt like my surfing was there. I made a couple of mistakes with a few falls, and I definitely carried some nerves into the competition as it was my first-ever Challenger Series event. Overall, though, I came away really pleased with how I surfed. It was a great contest, and I really enjoyed the whole experience.
The U.S. Open is definitely one of the biggest events I've ever competed in. The setup here is incredible, and the atmosphere is on another level. I think it's such an amazing opportunity to compete against the world's best and showcase my surfing on such a big stage. I'm really excited for it to kick off today and can't wait to get out there.
Sky Brown Photo: Redbull/George Karbus
Sky Brown on her wildcard.
"The US Open is one of the most iconic events in surfing, so getting a wildcard is a huge honour. It means a lot that the WSL believes in me and has given me this opportunity," said Brown. "It's even more special that I get to compete against some of the best surfers in the world, including Erin Brooks and Sierra Kerr. We've grown up surfing together since we were little, so it's really cool that we get to share this moment."
"I've spent a lot of my time competing in skateboarding, but surfing has always been just as big a part of my life," continued Brown. "I love both sports equally, and I haven't really had the chance to show people what I can do in surfing yet, even though I surf every day when I can. So this feels like an amazing opportunity to do that."
(Words from the WSL website)
