World Tour surfer Alyssa Spencer remembers as a young teen getting out in the lineup next to her idols, female pro surfers who shared stories of what it was like to travel the world and compete at contests.
Now, as one of the best surfers in the world competing this week at the Lexus US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, it was Spencer’s turn to give back and inspire young, up-and-coming surfers during the World Surf League’s Rising Tides program.
“Now that I get to be here for the next generation, it is so special,” said Spencer, 23, from Encinitas, who took time out of her contest prep on Monday, July 27, for a surf session and Q&A with the gathered youngsters. “I remember how I felt when I was that age, and I hope I can make all the girls feel the same way, and feel even more special.”
There were several events with a community focus Monday during day three of the mega surf festival, from the Rising Tides to an opening ceremony that gave tribute and thanks to the ocean to a beach cleanup.
At the Rising Tides event, mom Ashley Donan watched as her daughter, Sloan, hit the water with the pro surfers, hoping the 10-year-old would come away with valuable lessons.
“She’s been wanting to surf for years, she says the ocean is her home, her happy place,” said Donan, of Encinitas. “This event is great to build a community. I hope she is able to see herself in some of these female surfer leaders and just be inspired, and take away something from the conversation about working hard.”
Spencer said she always tries to encourage people to love whatever they do, and have fun with it.
“I feel like that’s the most important thing. If you don’t love it and aren’t having the most fun in the world doing it, then it’s going to be hard to make a long career out of it. That’s step No. 1,” she said. “That’s going to be the easiest way to progress and get better, because you love surfing every single day. That’s my biggest advice … just to have fun.”
Spencer also joined those gathering around spiritual leaders from the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation as they led the opening ceremony at the edge of the ocean for the event.
“I feel like it’s a great way to connect with the people, connect with the land, connect with the ocean and really bring everyone together,” Spencer said.
Tribal chairman Nathan Banta talked about the cleansing qualities of the ocean.
“Our people have been here for over 10,000 years. We’re so blessed,” he said, describing how ancestors would surf the waves in “tule” boats when they crossed to Catalina Island to trade.
Adelia Sandoval, spiritual overseer, lit sage and walked it down to the water, a crowd swelling around her and three other women as they chanted, sang and said prayers to the “grandmother ocean.”
“It’s appropriate for us to be here to welcome the surfers, but also to honor our grandmother ocean,” Sandoval said. “She is just phenomenal; we are honoring her and asking her to take care of the surfers out today, just to be gentle with them.”
Another community event held on the sand was a beach clean-up collaboration between the World Surf League One Ocean program and Wildcoast, a San Diego nonprofit organization. Volunteers used buckets and claws to pluck trash from the sand, taking a tally of their findings.
“It’s really good to give back and show that pro surfing and surfing is all about a healthy ocean,” said Serge Dedina, executive director of Wildcoast.
“We all rely on a healthy surfing ecosystem for our livelihoods and recreation,” he added. “It’s important to do, so we can make a difference for these beaches that do so much.”
During the contest heats, the ocean favored several surfers with good waves, but more were knocked out of the longboard event.
The champion is set to be crowned on Tuesday, before the US Open of Surfing’s Challenger Series gets underway.
Carlsbad’s Jack Van Wagoner knocked out four-time WSL longboard champion and fellow San Diego surfer Taylor Jensen. Longboard tour rookie Lia Diaz of Costa Rica knocked out two-time US Open of Surfing champ and three-time world champion Rachael Tilly, of San Clemente.
San Clemente’s Tommy Coleman, who entered the event as a wildcard, earned a spot into the quarterfinals on Wednesday, as did San Juan Capistrano’s Kevin Skvarna. Laguna Beach’s Avalon Gall, who won the women’s longboard event last year, is still in contention after nabbing a spot into the quarterfinals.
“I had so much fun, the waves were really good,” Gall said after her heat. “It was super consistent; I definitely got pounded a few times and almost got stuck under the pier. But other than that, it was really fun.”
Coleman, 22, said he wasn’t stressed on Monday; he’s happy with how he’s performed in this contest.
“I made it as far as I thought I was going to; now I get to just go surf and have a good time,” he said. “All my friends and family are here, so it’s more just like a fun time and I’m soaking it in.”