Record crowds swarmed Huntington Beach, CA to watch the WQS 6*Honda US Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill July 18-27, 2008. The south side of H.B. Pier produced very rippable surf over the 10-day contest.

Coco Ho, 17, was the standout performer of the event, making finals of both the Supergirl Junior Pro and the Women’s US Open Division’s. With five minutes left on the clock, Ho battled back in windy, tough 2-3ft. conditions, taking the lead for good and donning the championship cape of the 2nd annual Supergirl Junior Pro.

“I’m over the moon with excitement,” Ho said as she hoisted her winner’s check.

Pulling back-to-back duty on the final day, Ho then placed 2nd in the Women’s US Open pro division. Ho also made history by joining eventual winner Malia Manuel, 14, as the youngest finalist’s ever in ASP history. A double women’s victory was in Ho’s sights after she delivered some massive upsets over Melanie Bartels in the quarters, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and defending U.S. Open Champion Stephanie Gilmore in the semis. But a sweep was not to be.

“The conditions really came down to the one who got the wave with the wall,” Ho said. “To be here standing on the beach with the crowd with the Pro Junior Title and the runner-up finish in the WQS, I’m really happy.” Ho added, “It’s been a long week of surfing, and I’m going to Indo tomorrow with all of the girls that surfed in women’s Quarterfinals and just going to relax after the week.”

On the Men’s side, Gabe Kling made a solid run at the Open title for the 2nd year in a row before being stopped in the semis by eventual Open winner, Nathaniel Curran. Kling defeated fellow former ASP World Tour surfer Shaun Cansdell, WQS standout Nathan Yeomans and ASP World Tour rookie and fellow DVS teammate Jordy Smith on the way to his equal 3rd place finish.

“I’m bummed I didn’t make the final but I’d stoked with my performance,” Kling said. “I was pretty tired in the semi as I’m just getting back to 100% from a 2-month bout of pneumonia and then a knee injury that had me out of the water for some time.” My stamina isn’t all the way back yet so, to make the semis here is great. I bettered my quarterfinal final finish from last year and then won Japan the week after so, I’m hoping to get on a roll like that again this year!” Kling added.

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