.png){kind=logo}
When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference.
These cookies are essential to enable user movement across our website and for providing access to features such as your profile. These cookies cannot be disabled. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information and cannot be used for marketing purposes.
These cookies allow us to analyze visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site and enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers, such as Google Analytics, whose services we have added to our pages. Information collected through these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly and/or we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts or content. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
Mason Ho Returns To The Big Top As The Circus Comes To Huntington Beach
Ben Mondy
"I'm so stoked, I did not expect to win any QS events this year," Mason Ho said after claiming the Air Tahiti Rangiroa Pro in 2020. "I mean it's always the plan, it's been a plan for life, but to actually do it is such a cool feeling. It has always been a dream of mine."
That was back in March, just before the pandemic hit and all plans soon went out the window. Eighteen months on, that win for Ho has now taken on a whole new meaning. The 1,000 ratings points propelled him to the top of the 2020 Hawaiian /Tahiti Nui region rankings, which in turn has gained him a coveted spot in the four-event Challenger Series, starting with the US Open of Surfing Huntington Beach presented by Shiseido.
Of course, before Ho turned into the freewheeling Searcher regarded as everyone's favorite surfer, his big dream was to make the Championship Tour. He surfed on the QS full-time from 2011 to 2017, with a career-high finish of 64 in 2013. One of the most talented surfers of his generation, he sometimes struggled to fit his out-of-the-box surfing into the stricter confines of gnarly four-man Qualifying Series heats often held in small conditions.
So, instead of trying to follow in the footsteps of dad, Mike, World Champion Uncle, Derek, and little sister Coco, he turned his considerable talents to freesurfing. The results have been some of the most stunning entertaining, and smile-inducing surfing done by anyone on the planet.
"Building an incredible diverse quiver of boards so that Mason could go out and paint Salvador Dalis has been as a total sidebar bonus to my career and design life," said his long-time shaper Matt Biolos of Lost Surfboards. "He paints pictures and draw new lines on waves, and then rips out a new edit. I really think he has been the lockdown World Champ."
Now though, in part due to the cancellation of events throughout 2020 and 2021, the 31-year-old finds himself back in the pointy end of elite surf competition in the Challenger Series. With one of those four events at home in Hawaii, the venue of his only other QS win back in 2016, he might just dare to dream again.
Sure, it's a long shot. The field's depth of talent, and the level of competitiveness, could be a shock after a few years of hunting barrels and good times. With his first heat featuring next-gen rippers Reef Heazlewood, Crosby Colapinto and Joao Chianca, he won't have any time to adjust. Huntington's beachbreaks also may curtail the inventiveness that makes him one of the world's most compelling surfers.
Yet, given the man's talent, it would be madness to discount him entirely. Or maybe we should just take a leaf out of Mason's playbook, and simply forget about the destination and enjoy the trip. The Challenger Series could be one of the last opportunities to see one of the sport's true characters competing at the highest level. Whatever happens, with Mase involved, it's bound to be entertaining.
Mason Ho
A man who needs no introduction from small wave fun to maxing Pipeline sat down to chat about the best wave he's seen at Pipeline.
World-class reef break is back for 2023, Hawaii/Tahiti Nui Men's Qualifying Series conclusion locked in.
The destination lineup of Rangiroa returns to the QS to provide one last opportunity for regional competitors to claim their 2023
Check out the full event pres. by First Hawaiian Bank and Mastercard recap with some of the event's best performances.
Get your week off on the good foot with eight amazing minutes of Mason Ho doing laps at Rocky Point.
US Open of Surfing Huntington Beach presented by Shiseido
Featuring Eli Hanneman, Sawyer Lindblad, Griffin Colapinto, Imaikalani deVault, Eithan Osborne, Cam Richards, Lucca Mesinas, Bettylou
Simmers and Colapinto celebrate the biggest wins of their respective careers as they go the distance in Surf City.
The Burleigh Heads local is chasing Championship Tour qualification through the Challenger Series, beginning at Huntington Beach.
As two-time Open winner Kanoa Igarashi closed out the men's Round of 96, it was Caroline Marks and the rest of the women's turn to take
The Challenger Series is officially underway as action kicked off in the shadow of the Huntington Pier.