Huntington Beach, Calif./USA (May 23, 2022) - The Vans US Open of Surfing returns to the southside of the Huntington Beach Pier to host the world's largest action sports festival featuring the best in surfing, skateboarding and BMX competitions from July 30 through August 7, 2022. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the nine-day event will offer a full calendar of engaging creative activities for the entire family to enjoy, including customization workshops, on-site surfboard shaping, public skate and BMX sessions, a community market, giveaways and sustainable installations. This year, the festival's centralized message will focus on the importance of environmental responsibility and impact, which will be a common theme across multiple brand activations and platforms. The entire event is free and open to the public.
Action Sports Competitions
Kanoa Igarashi met by fans after his maiden 2017 Vans US Open of Surfing win. - WSL / Kenneth Morris
The Vans US Open of Surfing will entertain fans with the best in action sports competition. The World Surf League (WSL) will host the fourth stop of its Challenger Series including some of the world's best and rising talent all competing for a coveted spot on the Championship Tour.
The Vans Duct Tape Invitational and Festival combines culture and competition. For the first time ever, this year's competition is the second of three stops on the WSL Longboard Tour. Forty of the world's best male and female longboarders will compete in this event on the WSL Longboard Tour for a shot at the Longboard World Title, which will be decided at the WSL Longboard Championships in Malibu this October. The Vans Duct Tape Invitational & Festival will also offer fans a chance to demo hand-shaped surfboards with four influential names in action sports, including Zion Wright, Troy Elmore, Holly Wawn and Dakota Roche.
Across the sand, the Vans Showdown will elevate the skateboarding experience at the US Open with a street skating contest. The Vans Showdown celebrates skate culture by bringing together the world's most exciting and stylish skaters alongside brand partners Palace, Hockey, Alltimers, Spitfire, Quasi and friends. The Vans Waffle Cup, named by BMX star Dakota Roche, is where the best in BMX will take center stage with brand partners Cult, non-profit Radshare and The Bloom media. Tune in live via vanusopenofsurfing.com.
In addition, Vans will host public skate and BMX sessions for the community.
Curren Caples competes at the Vans Showdown Finals at the 2019 Vans US Open of Surfing. - WSL / Anthony Acosta
On Sand Festival Experience
The famed Vans Duct Tape Invitational is back after Kelis Kaleopaa earned the last title in 2019. - WSL / Sean Rowland
The Vans US Open of Surfing will also feature an on-site Duct Tape Surfboard Shaping Bay, Stitchbox wetsuit repair, community market, HOV (House of Vans) workshops , the Vans surf camp and more. The shaping bay will use sustainable materials and Stitchbox will offer free wetsuit repair for the community in the spirit of upcycling.
The event will offer a wide range of activities and workshops, scheduled every day beginning July 30, and include interactive partnerships with non-profit organizations to engage youth on the importance of sustainability, and inclusion and community, including Stoked Mentoring, City Surf Project, Native Like Water ,the WSL Rising Tides Girls Program, an oyster restoration with Orange County Coastkeeper and a beach cleanup with WILDCOAST. Other live action summer entertainment will include art installations, customization workshops, movie premieres and much more.
The WSL Rising Tides Girls Program helped inspire young women across the world. - WSL / Jennifer Herron
Stay tuned for the latest updates and full schedule of events at VansUSOpenofSurfing.com or follow @usopenofsurf on Instagram.
Recognized as the largest professional sports competition and action sports festival in the world, the Vans US Open of Surfing is currently sanctioned and operated by the World Surf League under license from IMG, the event owner. Official partners of this year's event include Vans, 805, BF Goodrich, Flying Embers, Hydro Flask, Pacifico, Sambazon, Shiseido, YouTheory and more.