ASP International has awarded PRIME status to this year’s U.S. Open of Surfing presented by Hurley, Nike 6.0 and Converse at Huntington Beach.

The ASP Technical Committee, comprised of representatives from the surfers, judges, events and ASP administrators, confirmed the awarding of ASP PRIME status to the event based on a variety of factors including: increase to a US $250,000 prize purse for the men, web quality, site infrastructure, marketability of the event, history and prestige of the event, the inclusion of a women’s ASP Star event, etc.

“The U.S. Open of Surfing is one of professional surfing’s longest-running and most prestigious events,” Brodie Carr, ASP Intl CEO, said. “The history that pumps through the sands of Huntington Beach is like nothing on Earth and NIKE, Inc. has stepped up in a major way to provide the surfers, the fans and the sport a landmark event in the heart of the surfing industry. We’re thrilled to announce the awarding of ASP PRIME status to the 2010 U.S. Open of Surfing and hope the swell delivers once again this season.”

“IMG has worked diligently to maintain the 50 year tradition and integrity of the U.S. Open of Surfing while building this ‘major’ event into a world-class forum for the industry, competitors and consumers,” said James Leitz, Senior Vice President of IMG Action Sports. “We’re pleased that the ASP has taken into account the far-reaching impact the U.S. Open has on the sport of surfing in awarding the ASP Prime status.”

Brett Simpson (USA), 25, defending U.S. Open winner and 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie, posted the biggest win of his young career at home in Huntington Beach last season, and the awarding of ASP PRIME status to this season’s event has the progressive natural-footer fired up for a repeat performance.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Simpson said. “It’s a huge addition to this year’s high class ASP Prime series. It always turns out to be one of the more dramatic events of the year, and the addition of ASP Prime status is indicative of the prestige and audience numbers surrounding the event. The top surfers come to Surf City in the prime time of summer as they battle it out in the biggest arena on the globe. Home sweet home!”

The event is owned and produced by IMG Action Sports, a division of IMG Worldwide the premier global sports, entertainment and media company. The U.S. Open of Surfing pres. by Hurley, Nike 6.0 and Converse will run from August 2  8, 2010 at Huntington Beach in California.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com and www.aspnorthamerica.org

Former NSSA National Champion, the 2008 ASP World Junior runner-up, 2009 WQS ranked # 14, and Rip Curl team rider, Bethany Hamilton, will have a theatrical film released tentatively late 2010 based on her inspirational and courageous story.

See post on film set

It’s been over six years since Bethany lost her arm in a shark attack that changed her life forever. Since then, Bethany has inspired millions of people around the world, as she has not only continued her dream of becoming a world-class professional surfer, but she has overcome all obstacles to become one of the most well-rounded female surfers in the world. From towing into 20-foot Jaws waves to proving a consummate competition threat in any conditions, Bethany’s unfathomable journey has led to the production of SOUL SURFER, a theatrical film based on Bethany’s life.

With a star-studded cast including Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Anna Sophia Robb and Carrie Underwood, amongst others, filming has just completed in Hawaii and is a production of SONY/AFFIRM FILMS.

“This is a new step in my life to have a movie made about my family!  Being a part of the production was really fun and interesting. Alana Blanchard and I did some stunt surfing for our characters, which was really fun,” Bethany recently stated. “I’m so glad to have Rip Curl apart of the movie and keeping the movie core! They have been apart of my life since I was ten years old so its a huge blessing to keep it real.”

While Bethany won’t be doing any acting (Anna Sophia Robb to play Bethany and Lorraine Nicholson to play Alana Blanchard), both her and Alana will be taking on “stunt duties” by surfing for their characters. Quite simply, only Bethany Hamilton and Alana Blanchard are at the performance level to represent themselves.

Rip Curl is both honored and excited to partner with Bethany, who has been a Rip Curl surfer for 10 years, on the making of this amazing production, but also to support her as she strives for 2011 ASP Women’s World Tour qualification.

For more information on SOUL SURFER, please visit www.soulsurferthemovie.com or www.bethanyhamilton.com

For additional media inquiries, please contact Rip Curl marketing coordinator Chelsea Johns: cjohns@ripcurl.com

Surfing’s dirty secret is easy to find in the drab enclave of San Clemente known as the surf ghetto, where the ocean breeze is spiked with the sweet smell of chemicals and men wearing flip-flops and coated with white dust search for magic inside blocks of toxic foam.

Joey Santley is looking for something equally elusive: an environmentally friendly surfboard. Or at least one with a carbon footprint that’s less titanic.

“A ‘green surfboard’ is inherently an oxymoron at this point,” said Santley, 44, a frenetic surfboard shaper and entrepreneur. “Hopefully in the future it won’t be.”

Two years ago, Santley and a partner formed Green Foam Blanks, which makes rigid foam surfboard cores by fusing polyurethane with recycled polyurethane dust gathered from workshops that would otherwise discard it. That yields more boards per ounce of toxic polyurethane. The company recently signed a deal with a leading maker of traditional blanks to manufacture and distribute its product in North America, Japan, Europe and Costa Rica.

Still, this being a start-up, Santley is chief dust collector as well as part-owner.

He darts down a gangway between two nondescript buildings and bounds up the stairs of one of the neighborhood’s numerous surfboard factories. Under a whirring cutting machine, he hits gold: a pile of white polyurethane foam shavings as light as Rocky Mountain snow.

“This is like a perfect powder day,” Santley said, shoveling the stuff into a trash bag and holding it aloft. “Probably enough for about a dozen boards. And it won’t end up in the landfill.”