Surf contest rides back into Huntington Beach

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Huntington Beach is Surf City once again.

After a year-long hiatus, a surf contest was held on the south side of the iconic pier – the first competitive surfing event to be held in Orange County since the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to sports.

The two-day USA Surfing contest that kicked off on Saturday, Feb. 20, drew more than 100 of the best up-and-coming junior surfers for an event that helps the under-18 wave-riders prove their surf skills in the chilly water.

  • A surfer walks past a banner at the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jett Schilling surfs during heat three of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Isabelle Kryger surfs during a heat in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Harrison Gardner surfs during heat two of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Tyrone Fomenko surfs during heat one of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Ezekiel Choi surfs during a heat in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Taylor Stacy surfs during a heat in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Trevor Berry surfs during heat two of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A surfer walks past a banner at the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Gavin Frank surfs during a heat in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Nico Coli surfs during heat one of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jett Schilling surfs during heat three of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Trevor Berry surfs during heat two of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Lucas Owston surfs during heat one of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Raiki Nishida surfs during heat one of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Ezekiel Choi surfs during heat four of the quarter final in the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A surfer walks past a banner at the USA Surfing contest held on Saturday, February 20, 2021, on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach. It is the first competition allowed in Orange County amid the pandemic as more than 100 of the best under 18 junior surfers competed. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Safety protocols were put in place, such as asking competitors not to congregate and sanitizing jerseys between heats. Surfing is one of a few sports allowed in the purple tier because it is a no-contact activity that takes place outdoors.

Prior to the event, on Friday, Feb. 19, USA Surfing coach Brett Simpson trained in Huntington Beach with the junior national team, which earned gold in 2019. 

The USA West Coast Prime series is just one of several surf events slotted to happen this year, as restrictions ease across the state. The National Scholastic Surfing Association will hold its 2020 West Coast Championships, which were supposed to happen last July, in Oceanside later this month.

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