1982
First Op Pro Surfing
Championship
1983 -1993
Op Pro becomes an Association of
Surfing Professionals (ASP)
event. Contest includes men's,
women's, juniors and longboard
divisions. Big names such as Tom
Curren, Sunny Garcia, Kelly
Slater and Rob Machado appear.
1994
Op Pro downgraded to a
qualifying, minor-league event.
U.S. Open of Surfing, held in
Huntington Beach the week after
the Op Pro, lands World
Championship Tour (WCT), or
major-league, status. The U.S.
Open is started by sports cable
operator Prime Ticket Network.
1995
Op Pro again a qualifying event
for the U.S. Open with a Beach
Expo.
1996
Op Pro replaced by AirTouch Pro
Surfing Championships. U.S. Open
still a WCT event. Op Pro leaves
Huntington and moves to Hawaii.
1997 - Only
U.S. Open survives, becoming
G-Shock U.S. Open of Surfing.
Downgraded to qualifying, or
minor-league, event. A beach
exposition features music and
skate- and surf-related
exhibits.
1998
Op Pro returns to Huntington and
becomes a major league event.
G-Shock U.S. Open of Surfing
runs before Op Pro.
1999
Shockwave U.S. Open moved to the
first week and turned into a
major league event. The Gotcha
Pro replaces Op Pro, moves to
second week.
2000
Gotcha Pro becomes Bluetorch
Pro, with major-league ranking,
which is followed the next week
by the Shockwave U.S. Open.
Wakeboarding, inline skating,
BMX biking, motocross,
skateboarding and live music.
2001
Sports marketer International
Management Group (IMG) buys U.S.
Open from Bluetorch. One-week
event becomes the Philips Fusion
series, which includes the U.S.
Open, a qualifying event, and
skateboarding, BMX and
inline-skating competitions and
live music.
2002
Sports marketer International
Management Group (IMG) one-week
event becomes is called Philips
Fusion series, which includes
the U.S. Open, a qualifying
event, and skateboarding and BMX
competitions and live music.
Inline skating is eliminated.
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