Ballard Rides Wild Surf Into Pier

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Rochelle Ballard, an experienced big-wave rider from Hawaii, is not intimidated by heavy surf. So when seven- to eight-foot waves continued to pound the Huntington Beach Pier Thursday for the G-Shock U.S. Open of Surfing, she was eager to grab her board.

After successfully negotiating the surf and advancing through the morning quarterfinals of the Wahine women’s division, Ballard was confident that she could handle whatever rolled in for the afternoon semifinals.

But after some spectacular rides that put her into position to advance easily, Ballard caught a wave that would have locked up first place in the heat. But as she rode to her left, she got caught inside the pier and was slammed against a concrete piling by the hurricane-generated waves.

With her board pinned against the piling and her surf leash wrapped around her board, Ballard frantically tried to release herself as the surf pounded her.

Ballard was able to free herself and make her way to the shore where lifeguards were waiting.

With a large bump on her head and numerous cuts and bruises, Ballard was dizzy and shaking. After a quick examination by paramedics, Ballard was put on a stretcher and taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach for observation.

Ballard was treated and released, a hospital spokesperson said Thursday night.

Because of the accident, the Wahine women’s final, which was supposed to take place Thursday, was postponed until today.

Ballard qualified for the final, but there was no word late Thursday whether she would compete. She and the other top women are also scheduled to begin surfing in the Kahlua U.S. Open of Women’s Surfing today.

Kate Skarratt of Australia, who surfed with Ballard in the semifinal heat, said there was already talk among the surfers about the dangerous conditions near the pier.

Before Ballard’s accident, several surfers had already had run-ins with the pier, including San Clemente’s Mike Parsons, whose leg was cut when he hit a piling during one of his heats Thursday.

“It was really heavy out there, especially by the pier. You could see it was dangerous out there,” said Skarratt, who finished behind Pam Burridge and Ballard in third place, but will advance to the final as an alternate.

Contest organizer Ian Cairns said a lot of surfers are not used to surfing near a pier. And when conditions get as they did on Wednesday and Thursday, it can mean some perilous rides.

“The truth of the matter is that surfing can be dangerous,” Cairns said. “But I know Rochelle was stoked about surfing in these waves.”

Cairns said he plans to have a meeting with the women tomorrow and give them a course in pier safety.

In the men’s division, Huntington Beach surfers had a good day as Mike Reilly, Jeff Deffenbaugh and Jay Larson advanced to the second round of the men’s main event.

The big story in the men’s event continues to be the success of three-time world champion Tom Curren of Santa Barbara, who recently announced that he will attempt to get back on the World Championship Tour.

Curren surfed three amazing heats Thursday, and won all of them. Maybe his most stunning victory came in his last heat of the day when he pulled off back-to-back 7.0 rides near the treacherous pier.

Wahine women’s semifinals

HEAT 1-Lisa Anersen (Ormond Beach, Fla), 2. Neridah Falconer (Australia), 3. Serena Brook (Australia), 4. Kylie Mercer (Australia). HEAT 2--Pam Burridge (Australia), 2. Rochelle Ballard (Hawaii), 3. Kat Skarratt (Australia), 4. Jaquiline Silva (Australia).

Quarterfinals

HEAT 1--1. Brook, 2. Andersen, 3. Prue Jeffries (Australia), HEAT 2--1. Falconer, 2. Mercer, 3. Lynette Mackenzie (Australia), 4. Megan Abubo (Hawaii). HEAT 3--1. Burridge, 2. Silva, 3. Pauline Menczer (Australia), 4. Kylie Webb (Australia). HEAT 4--1. Skarratt, 2. Ballard, 3. Belinda Godfrey.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Surf’s Up

* What: The G-Shock U.S. Open of Surfing

* Where: Huntington Beach, south of the pier

* When: Today through Sunday. Competition is 7 a.m.-5 p.m. each day except Sunday, when it’s 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

* Today’s schedule: Men’s surfing main event Round 2, women’s surfing, longboarding quarterfinals

* Tickets: Free sand and bleacher seating all days of the competition; however, premium stadium seating packages available for Saturday and Sunday.

* Website address: Surflink will provide regular scoring updates and photos during the competition at https://www.surflink.com