While the U.S. Open of Surfing, today, is a shell of what it used to be, in terms of the debauchery, the riots, the big-name live musical acts, and more, it still remains one of the most iconic events in the sport of kings. The Huntington hop lives on.
And the World Surf League has teamed up with a new, untraditional partner to perhaps infuse a little bit of that good old fashioned U.S. Open seduction to the sands of Huntington Beach Pier’s southside – a dating app, coincidentally, called “SURF.”
Check out the announcement below.
Per a press release about the collaboration:
SURF, a dating app redefining modern dating, offering users community and interest based match potential directly within the app, will be partnering with the World Surf League (WSL) as the Official Dating App of the 2026 Lexus US Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico. The nine-day surfing festival will take place July 25 – August 2 in Huntington Beach, California. The can’t-miss summer event will create the perfect moment to introduce SURF to the surf community, and connect them with others who share an interest in surfing as a sport and lifestyle.
“We’re excited to partner with SURF as our first-ever official dating app of the Lexus US Open,” said Nicole Metzger, WSL Chief Revenue Officer. “We love how SURF focuses on shared passions and real-world connections. As the Lexus US Open of Surfing brings together such a uniquely connected community, we’re excited to have SURF help facilitate these new connections for fans during one of our biggest events of the year.”
“SURF is built to help people find someone who actually shares their lifestyle, not just their interests on paper,” said Rob Long, CEO, SURF Dating. “With the World Surf League, we’re applying a model we already know works-giving a highly aligned community the ability to find each other quickly, without the friction of traditional dating apps. When you remove the noise and focus on a shared lifestyle, better outcomes follow.”
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Think folks will find romance beneath the pier, amidst the near-naked bodies on the scorching sand, at all the movie premieres and after-parties? Seems like, in past years, an app wasn’t needed to do so. But perhaps it will only enhance the carnal experience.
To quote Rihanna: “We found love in a hopeless place.”
The US Open of Surfing runs July 25th – August 2nd in Huntington Beach, CA.
Check out SURF here.
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