The US Open of Surfing completed Round 2 yesterday as ASP Top 34 hopefuls continued to do battle for a respective spot among next year’s elite.

Aussie ‘QS warrior Matt Banting, currently ranked in second place on the QS, continued his hot streak, topping Filipe Toledo, Dane Reynolds and Cory Arrambide with a big Round 2 heat victory.

“I didn’t catch a wave for nearly half the heat. Filipe (Toledo) just got one at the 10-minute mark, which meant we didn’t get the restart, but it ended up working in my favour,” said Matt Banting. “You only have a couple of opportunities so you have to make the most of them. I’m stoked to keep the ball rolling and stay in the competition. I’m loving it here at the Vans US Open, there’s great people and it can’t get any better.”

Spain’s Jony Gonzalez join the rest of the Euro contingent to make it through to Round 3, trouncing his Round 2 heat with a commanding run from start-to-finish. Gonzalez was surgical on both his forehand and backhand.

“At the beginning when I started competing it was really hard for me to compete on these types of waves,” said Gonzalez. “I’ve been practicing surfing beach breaks in the summer because it’s difficult for me. I started the year a bit lost with the new priority system and Saquarema was horrible for me. This event is looking better for me I hope.”

Home favourite Kanoa Igarashi, who’s surfing in the event as a wildcard, continued to prove himself among the world’s best, taking an impressive Round 2 win. The local talent managing to overcome WCT surfers Jadson Andre and Travis Logie.

“I’m definitely feeling the pressure because I live here and I should know which waves to get and how to surf the wave,” said Kanoa post heat. “That was going through my head the whole time but I’m just so stoked I got the right waves and finished them. I think there was about 11 minutes where I needed a 5 to win and time was going by so I was nervous, but I managed to get in two good turns so I’m stoked.”

Vans US Open of Surfing Men’s Round 2 Results:

Heat 7: Matt Banting (AUS) 14.87, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 12.94, Dane Reynolds (USA) 11.33, Cory Arrambide (USA) 10.26
Heat 8: Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY) 14.50, Michael Dunphy (USA) 13.93, Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 13.07, Carlos Munoz (CRI) 12.63
Heat 9: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 14.53, Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.77, Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.67, Jake Halstead (USA) 11.16
Heat 10: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.30, Garrett Parkes (AUS) 15.26, Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.27, Granger Larsen (HAW) 14.10
Heat 11: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 16.50, Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 12.40, Mason Ho (HAW) 10.58, Santiago Muniz (ARG) 10.43
Heat 12: Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.93, Brett Simpson (USA) 12.63, Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 10.67, Sebastian Zietz (HAW)

Vans US Open of Surfing Men’s Round 3 Match-Ups:

Heat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS), Mitch Crews (AUS), Maxime Huscenot (FRA)
Heat 2: Beyrick De Vries (ZAF), Tim Reyes (USA), Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Adam Melling (AUS), Charles Martin (GLP)
Heat 4: Keanu Asing (HAW), Aritz Aranburu (ESP), Bino Lopes (BRA)
Heat 5: Matt Banting (AUS), Michael Dunphy (USA), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 6: Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY), Filipe Toledo (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA), Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Heat 8: Kolohe Andino (USA), Garrett Parkes (AUS), Peterson Crisanto (BRA)