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Out-of-State Envy

The Vans Pro

A A A Comments By RICH DUDKA Thursday, Mar 16 2006

Photo Nabil Elderkin

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Everyone who lives in Orange County knows why we live here: our weather beats the crap out of everyone else's weather. While folks all across the Northern Hemisphere shoveled snow on Christmas Day, we went to the beach. Is it any wonder that our fair land now crawls with out-of-state license plates?

Now that spring has arrived, the beach will get even more crowded, but some Orange Countians may still stay away. For the readers who don't find miles and miles of scantily clad hard bodies enticing enough to justify the parking problems, here's one more reason to get out and fight the traffic: the Vans Pro presented by Jack's Surfboards and O'Neill at Surf City.

The beach-sports season has come to Orange County, and it kicks off with three Association of Surfing Professionals events. The Vans Pro is a Men's World Qualifying Series two-star contest, the O'Neill pro is a Women's WQS one-star contest, and the Lost Pro Men's Junior is a Grade One. Jack's Surfboards presents all three.

The competition starts Wednesday at Huntington Beach Pier. For those who like to root for new local talent, Erica Hosseini of Newport Beach has entered the O'Neill, and she enjoys a high seed.

Eye candy will abound this weekend—just like every other weekend at the H.B. pier, but the qualifying events provide the extra icing: pros try harder when they have a chance to move up to the big leagues.

The Vans Pro surf contest at the Huntington Beach Pier, 315 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, (714) 536-3500; www.aspnorthamerica.org. Continues through Sun., March 26. Check website for event times. Free.

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