The U.S. Opened Up: SurferMag.com's Exclusive Coverage of Rob's Victory

America mobbing Rob Machado after his semi final victory.

The other Cali boy in the quarters, Mike Losness, charged his way past Aussie Mick Campbell to meet his childhood hero, Rob Machado in the semis. A proximity-based rivalry was abrewing in the ranks.

Before that challenge could take place, Hawaiian Roy Powers surfed brilliantly to down young Jeremy Flores. Powers had just broken his board two rounds earlier and commented about his casual competitive approach and new board, “I feel great. Hopefully it [my new board] will last through the final. I’m just telling myself to relax. My grandma just passed away and I just try to think about her and it gives me the energy to take this thing all the way.” Powers certainly seemed both inspired and at peace as he soared into the finals.

A heat later, the battle of legend versus pupil would come to fruition. Mike Losness and Rob Machado took to the Pacific to settle the matter. Rob, sitting far South, waited patiently for set waves while Losness exploded on a barrage of lefts further North. Needing a 6.3, Machado dropped into a reeling left that he worked to the beach with only minutes left. The crowd waited anxiously for the score; a 6.9 that sealed his return to the final.

The heat started slow with a few dribblers, and quickly picked up as Machado ripped a right to shreds, ending off with a backside reverse just feet from the shoreline. Powers answered back with some high scoring waves, and for the first time in the day strategy would dramatically affect the outcome of the heat.

Machado had priority for two waves that Powers effectively smacked to bits. With Powers sitting North close to the Pier and Rob down South at what has been referred to as “Rob’s Peak”, both riders could drop into the same wave uninterrupted and basically unaware of the other’s presence. In two separate and critical instances this situation played out. Rob’s priority on both waves cancelled what could have been heat winning rides for Powers had the situation been reversed. Regardless, Rob’s 7 and 6.83 were enough to crown him king of the 2006 US Open of Surfing. With his arms extended to the zoo on the beach, Machado claimed his 3rd US Open, the most of any US Open surfer.

After a long day of competition, Machado proved his mettle as a top notch surfer and strategic supremacist. The competition was a hit as the swell delivered overhead surf, the sun painted beach goers red, and the athletes surfed fanatically for the title. Come dusk the traffic slowly began to subside and celebrations of America’s quintessential summer surf competition began. The US Open marks a turning point in every summer, and the only thing anyone involved in the sweaty, high flying action can say is, “I can’t wait until next year.”

The promotional scenery added a nice touch.