Machado Rules Pier -- and Peers
If a statement was made on the final day of the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing, it began during the quarterfinals, on a large left-handed wave on which Rob Machado performed the kind of mastery that has made him a favorite among fans as well as today's top pros.
It continued through Sunday's semifinals when the goofy-footer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea disposed of one of his biggest admirers, and concluded in the form of a triumph over Roy Powers and an unprecedented third U.S. Open title before tens of thousands of spectators at Huntington Beach Pier.
Not bad for someone who now considers competitive surfing merely a vehicle for proving that one doesn't have to be on tour to be regarded as one of the world's best surfers.
"It's more about making a statement to myself because that's the one thing I miss about being on tour," said Machado, who typically competes in about five contests annually. "These guys are traveling together all the time and they're always surrounded by a real high level of surfing.
"And when you're not on tour you just don't have that level of surfing around you. So it inspires me -- it's fun to go out there and test myself against these guys, to see how I hold up."
Machado, 32, was once a top competitor on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals' World Championship Tour. He was ranked No. 8 in 1993, his first year. He improved to No. 2 in 1995, when his semifinal loss to Kelly Slater at the season-ending Pipeline Masters in Hawaii kept him from winning the world title.
Burnout, marriage and, ultimately, a budding family hampered Machado's enthusiasm thereafter, and a broken hand suffered in 2001 led to a split with the tour -- after he was denied an injury wildcard for 2002 and told he must work his way back through the World Qualifying Series tour.
Machado instead signed with Hurley and maintained his popularity through photo and video excursions, magazine shoots and public appearances -- plus, the occasional contest.
"The guy is a machine and can get the scores on any wave he goes on," said Powers, who is ranked No. 41 on the WCT and will benefit from the WQS points he earned by making the U.S. Open finals. "I could have maybe applied a bit more pressure, but I wanted to win honorably and I came really close."
