The 2015 Van’s US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, the world’s largest surfing event, provided thrills and spills for almost 500,000 fans over nine days. In spite of small and infrequent waves, the surfers managed to strut their stuff. Underdogs and virtually unkown, Hiroto Ohhara of Japan won the men’s championship and Johanne Defay of France won the women’s title. BMX riders and skateboarders performed brilliantly for their fans in the Van’s rink on the sand. The tenor of the event was more mellow than previous years: a mood fostered by the event sponsors and insured by a significant Huntington Beach Police presence. Steve Van Doren of Van’s helped out by cooking and providing free burgers for spectators.
