The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) PRIME US Open of Surfing presented by Hurley and Nike 6.0 is just days away from kicking off its 2010 venue and with 33 ASP Dream Tour competitors in the men’s draw and the event boasting a women’s ASP 6-Star division, the highest level of professional surfing is guaranteed to unfold at South Huntington Beach Pier.

The 2010 US Open of Surfing is a marathon event that not only includes competitors from the Men’s ASP PRIME and Women’s ASP 6-Star event seeking ratings points to qualify for the prestigious ASP Dream Tour, but also holds the ASP Grade-2 US Open Junior Pro, which will showcase the nation’s finest men's and women's ASP Pro Junior talent hunting for a position of the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour.

Firing surf in the six-to-eight foot (3 metre) range at the infamous Mexican Pipeline decided the Quarterfinalists at the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 4-Star Quiksilver Pro Puerto Escondido.

With only 16 surfers remaining in the draw, the Quiksilver Pro Puerto Escondido’s iconic location of Playa Zicatela has not only included some of the globe’s hungriest up-and-coming competitive ASP competitors, but also some of the most talented big-wave riders.

Jordy Smith (ZAF), 22, has claimed his maiden ASP elite victory, taking out the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay over Adam Melling (AUS), 25, in front of a capacity hometown crowd.

Event No. 4 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay was nothing but blaring Vuvuzelas and roars from the bluff as these two titans went tit-for-tat in an incredible Final exchange. The young South African proved the victor, dominating from the outset and securing an emotional first win.

“This is the best day of my life,” Smith said. “The crowd on the beach has been supporting me the last few days and hearing the cheers and the Vuvuzelas just gets me fired up to perform. It feels like they’re pushing me along. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Ty Watson (NSW/Currarong/Sth Coast) won his first ever ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series event by taking out the Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior in powerful surf at Waitpinga Beach in South Australia.

“It’s the best feeling to finally win an ASP Pro Junior event” said Watson.

“This is my final year on this series and coming into this event, with just three events remaining I’ve had it on my mind to really try and win one – I’ve made finals and semi-finals but until today have not nailed a win and it just feels great.”

The 2010 ASP World Tour returned with a vengeance today, bearing witness to Day 1 of the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay and the greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history tearing into excellent four-to-six foot (2 metre) waves at the iconic pointbreak.

With clear skies, idyllic surf and the world's greatest surfers on hand, Round 1 of the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay saw the 2010 ASP World Title Race reignited with the top seeds putting in sensational performances.

Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, reigning ASP World Champion and two-time past winner of the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay (2002, 2006), kick-started his 2010 campaign in fine form today, lacerating the pristine walls of Jeffreys Bay with the highest heat total of the event, a 16.70 out of a possible 20, to advance through to Round 3.

Tim Reyes (USA), 28, former ASP World Title Race campaigner and current No. 126 on the newly-founded ASP World Rankings, will replace an injured Joel Parkinson (AUS), 29, 2009 ASP World Runner-Up and defending event winner, at the upcoming Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay.

Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 25, today claimed this year’s Cordoama Buondi Pro title an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men’s Star- Series 1-Star event over coming former ASP 2009 Dream Tour member Marlon Lipke (DEU) in the long awaited 35-minute show down between the events two top seeded surfers.

A slight drop in the swell did little to halt the explosive surfing witnessed today at Praia da Cordoama. Waves in the 3ft (1m) range improved as the tide pushed in forming peaks on the inside shore break offering the perfect scene for the huge crowd to watch the action unfold.

Jordy Smith (Dbn), 22, etched his name into the history books today, becoming the third ever South African winner of the ASP 5-Star Mr Price Pro Ballito, simultaneously moving into the No. 1 position on the ASP World Rankings.

Smith defeated South Coast star Casey Grant (Scottburgh) in the Final to claim an emotional victory before his home crowd. Riding high on the shoulders of his friends, some of Durban's finest surfers, as the crowds exploded into cheers of support, Smith was awarded his enormous R121 000 winner's cheque.

Once again the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 4-Star SuperSurf International was taken by a newcomer, this time two new faces made the Final. Caetano Vargas, 22, from Parana took his first ASP event at the SuperSurf Internacional over Magno Pacheco, 21, from Sao Paulo.

In the Semifinals, both surfers defeated the favorites Renato Galvao and David do Carmo early in the morning of this Sunday. The competition started today with three surfers from Sao Paulo and one surfer from Parana, with the last wining the contest. On the semifinal Caetano defeated the two times Brazilian champion Renato Galvao.

The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, Stop No. 4 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, is poised to be one for the ages as the best assemblage of surfing talent in history prepare to do battle on one of the world's greatest canvases, the iconic righthanders of Jeffreys Bay.

After three events this season, the ASP World Tour journeys to South Africa amidst a red-hot ASP World Title race as well as the cutthroat, mid-year field reduction to the ASP Top 32.