Best Sections of All-Time: RAW IRONS in Huntington Beach

“I just want to let all those girls know I’m very single tonight.” —Andy Irons after winning the US Open in 1998.

There’s something special in the air when all the pros come to HB for the US Open every summer. It’s fun to mix it up in the sand storm of chaos celebrating surfing all week and see all the pros surf the same waves you surf all year. We also get to gawk at their perfectly waxed Mayhems and brand new wetties and attend all the parties and premieres and see them cruising around town. Yesterday we ran into Rio Waida at the coffee shop formerly known as Java Jungle. Mateus Herdy was in an alley checking the waves near the old Taco Bell. Southside of the pier is full of coaches and surfers grinding out scores in hopes of hosting the check at the end of the week.

All this buzz got us feeling nostalgic (again) for the year Andy Irons made the US Open rad.

We all know nobody does it like A.I., but in 1998 he showed everyone how to approach a week at the US Open. Every turn had confidence. Every Huntington hop oozed with style. He made dismal, onshore and crowded waves of Huntington look playful and rad and it’s all documented in his profile film Raw Irons.

It wasn’t often you got to see Andy grinding out reforms on the southside of the HB pier, but he had the ability to make even that look special. We’re lucky enough to have an entire section of Andy’s signature film Raw Irons devoted to the groveling he did in in 1998. This section is the best So-California celebration of all time.And it’s got us psyching for next week’s HB family reunion.—Brandon