The Vans US Open of Surfing is the biggest surf contest on the planet. Tens of thousands of fans crowd to the beach to watch the men’s and women’s event.

Unlike the men’s, the women’s event is a full WCT event held in front of the stands and next to the iconic Huntington Beach pier. The waves tend to be fairly average but are totally smashable, and with the added atmosphere of the big crowd it really gets competitors fired up.

Who to watch?

This is a real arena for fierce competitors, the intensity of the atmosphere combined with having to scrap for average surf really plays to the hungry. Carissa Moore is a real scrapper in these conditions and the reigning champ will be hard to beat, but the field is wide open, so you shouldn’t write anyone off.

Carissa Moore at the 2013 Vans US Open Video:

How to watch?

The whole of the tour is broadcast live on a free webcast, just go to www.aspworldtour.com and follow the link.

California is  GMT -8. The event runs typically over the best three days of the holding period.