It is the biggest annual event in surfing, both in terms of spectacle, attendance and prestige.  Everything about the US Open of Surfing represents the pinnacle of the surfing season, key exception being the actual quality of waves.  And while Huntington Beach more often than not doesn’t exactly bring in the greatest of waves, occasionally a very generous southern swell with bring the event to maximum applause as some of the world’s greatest surfers are challenged to surf insane conditions.  With the 2012 US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach starting on July 28^th and running through August 5^th, here are the five greatest moments in its rather illustrious history.

The OP Pro in 1982

Technically speaking, the US Open of Surfing debuted at Huntington Beach in 1959.  Then named the West Coast Surfing Championship and in subsequent years called the United States Surfing Championships, the contest took a long hiatus in the 70’s before returning closer to its current form in 1982 as the $35,000 OP Pro.  With 30,000 spectators on hand to watch both the Miss OP Bikini Contest and the surf contest in small conditions, Cheyne Horan defeated Shaun Tomson in the Finals to win the OP Pro.  Tom Curren would make the Quarterfinals in his rookie season as a professional surfer.

The 1986 Riots

Still called the OP Pro, the event was held annually on Labor Day Weekend.  Until 1986.  Two girls were having a little fun dancing in front of a crowd.  Things suddently turned very rowdy, the girls called the police asking for help, the mob started to throw rocks at the police, and all of a sudden $250,000 in damage was caused including two overturned cop cars and numerous other emergency vehicles engulfed in flames.  Contest organizers permanently moved the contest from Labor Day weekend and extra security has been implemented for all contest since.

Brad Gerlach Floater

Before changing its name from the OP Pro to the US Open of Surfing in 1994, Brad Gerlach was one of the contest’s premier surfers.  In 1991, with the 80’s and its horrible fashion sense still lingering resulting in Gerlach glowing in his wetsuit from the neon colors, Gerr pulled one of the greatest single wave maneuvers in the contest’s history, pulling off a massive floater in pumping conditions.  The move didn’t win him the contest, but it put the massive crowd in awe as they had just witnesses a remarkable surfing performance.

Kelly Slater Scores Perfect 10 in Double Overheard Conditions

Brett Simpson may have been the winner of the 2009 US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, but the contest will be remembered more for having bomb double overhead sets and Kelly Slater making a return after skipping the contest for many years and scoring a perfect 10 on an incredible wave and performance where he broke his board.

Kelly Slater Wins 2011 US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach

At 39 years of age, Kelly Slater stormed into the US Open of Surfing in the midst of his 11^th ASP World Title chase and destroyed the competition.  Slater won in the Finals with a frontside air reverse to win over the crowd and would eventually become the World Champion.