Huntington Beach hosts so many meets and competitions, in fact, that local surfers met with the City event planners several years ago requesting that the City limit rather than expand the number of competition days. Some of the world's great surfing professionals such as Timmy Turner come from Huntington Beach and use the area north and south of the Huntington Beach Pier for daily practice when not on the road.

Numerous organizations compete in Huntington Beach with nearly every demographic represented. Groups include: HB Wahines, a recently-formed club of ladies and girls who meet regularly to surf; HB Longboard Club is a loose-knit group comprised primarily of those growing up on longboard surfboards; HB Surf Series is a competition for amateur surfers from groms to seniors owned and operated by two Huntington Beach surfing pro brothers, Jeff and Barry Deffenbaugh; Christian Surfers United States and Black Surfing Association are but a few represented in local waters. Other larger organizations include NSA (National Surfing Association); NSSA (National Scholastic Surfing Association); WSA (Western Surfing Association which is changing from USSF-United States Surfing Federation with WRSA or Western Region Surfing Association); NSA (National Surfing League); and ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) with its World Tour. The list of groups and events is daunting, especially for newcomers or casual observers trying to understand competitive surfing.

The recently-formed Surfing America runs the North America Regional Office of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) from its Huntington Beach headquarters and administers the domestic pro surfing events that qualify pro athletes to ASP's World Championship Tour. Huntington Beach hosts a stop on this world tour event, US Open of Surfing and Beach Games. Stops in the World Championship Tour series are rated with one to six stars.

Organizers of Surfing America designed an athletic development program from the bottom up, creating a framework, selecting teams from the best surfers in the nation and raising sponsorship money to pay for their expenses. Through creation of training standards and endorsement of surf schools, camps and recreation programs, the expressed goal is to build the ultimate USA Surf Team.

Hoping to host a 2005 World Junior Surfing Championships and 2006 World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach, the organizers have made necessary allies for funding and support with industry giants Billabong, Body Glove, O'Neill, OP, Quiksilver, Reef and Rip Curl. From a historical perspective Huntington Beach receives large crowds for surfing events when tied to other sports and entertainment such as skateboarding, BMX and concerts. In recent years, the crown jewel US Open of Surfing has provided a mixed bag with lackluster wave heights and shapes. Unlike Hawaii's Sunset Beach where the waves alone can carry spectator interest, Huntington Beach finds its greatest success in multi-faceted events with Surf Villages, demo booth giveaways and arenas with a variety of sports occurring simultaneously.

Huntington Beach has become known as Surf City as much for its lifestyle of casual, laid-back living and surf-friendly policies that permit wet feet and boards to be parked at local restaurants and shops. Some businesses along the California coast excuse tardiness or absence due to great surfing conditions and jokingly refer to the boardroom as the place where surfboards are kept. Huntington Beach's Surf City is possibly USA's best mainland moniker for the spirit Hawaiians know and love. They call it "Aloha."

Surfing America introduced the new USA Amateur Surf Team in Huntington Beach, California on December 2, 2004 at the world-famous Huntington Beach Pier.  The team, which went to Tahiti for International Surfing Association's (ISA) Quiksilver Junior World Championships included Bethany Hamilton, the promising 14-year-old surfer from Hanalei, Hawaii, who was attacked by a shark in October 2003 and lost her left arm. 

Another Surf Series organized by Jeff and Barry Deffenbaugh is worth checking out. It includes over $20,000 in prizes and six categories such as Longboard, Masters and Super Groms.

Surfing America was formed as a Huntington Beach-based National Governing Body for surfing competitions for young amateurs. The City of Huntington Beach hosts over 50 days of surfing competitions, not including high school surfing meets that include teams from Edison High School, Huntington Beach High School, Marina High School, Edison High School and Dwyer Middle School.

Surfing photos:

yellow surfboard
surf's up
Surfer at Pier
Surfer with 2 boards
US Open Crowds
Girl & scooter
Beach overview
Tandem Surfers
Surfing Walk of Fame
Surfers' Hall of Fame
US Open of Surfing Photos
Surfers competing / Womens competition
Monster Surfboard to Set World Record
International Surfing Museum
Hello Kitty Boardfest
US Open Beach Games Return to Surf City
Surfing America in Surf City
Gidget in Huntington Beach
Surfing bands perform in HB
Ultimate Challenge Surf Statue
Beach rental / Surf rental
Kite surfing in Huntington Beach
International Day of Surfing
Quiksilver Headquarters in HB
Photo - Surfer at Tower 0
Norman Worthy - Surf Legacy
Water testing with new boat
Photo: Surfboard silhouette
Surf attractions map
US Open of Surfing
Surf attractions tips
Surviving the waves safety tips
East Versus West in X Games Surfing Competition
Surfing America 2005 Team
Surfer Joe's Summer
Surf City History
Surfline.com in HB
2 boys @ Philips
Beach beauties
2 surfer girls
Yellow rash guard
Picture from pier
Bleacher seats
Crowds at US Open
US Open Surfing
People on boardwalk
BMX winner
Beach Games BMX