Fog delays start of U.S. Open of Surfing, but not Derek Peters’ chances of playing spoiler

Derek Peters has lost count of how many years he has competed in the U.S. Open of Surfing, either as a junior or as a hopeful in the trials, and of how many hours he has spent at Huntington Beach, either as a surfer or as a lifeguard.

He arrived at Huntington Beach on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. with the hope that it would at last be his day, his year, to qualify for the major event his hometown hosts on the same swells he watches over for his day job.

Peters was one of 32 men vying for the single spot left in the men’s Qualifying Series round of 112, which carries with it the right to challenge the 23 male Championship Tour surfers that are competing in the Open this year.

“I’ve wanted to be in the main part of the contest since I was a kid,” Peters said. “But you can’t be result-minded, just because stuff’s gotta go your way. If it’s not going your way, there’s not much you can do. We’re out in the ocean, you know.”

The waves at Surf City have historically offered lesser-known competitors a real chance to dethrone the favored athletes — Peters is ranked No. 135 in the Qualifying Series. Last year, despite being ranked No. 81 at the time and going up against the likes of 2014 winner Filipe Toledo of Brazil, Hiroto Ohhara became the first Japanese surfer to win the Open.

On Saturday, however, a thick gray fog prevented Peters or anyone else from securing that last promising berth. With judges unable to see the water, it wasn’t until four hours after the designated 8 a.m. start that the first four surfers paddled out. As a result, only the trials’ first and second rounds were completed by the end of the day. The last two rounds will start at 7 a.m. Sunday.

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During the delay, Peters surfed for about three hours, engulfed in fog that hid him from the large crowd that gathers every year to enjoy the annual festival and cheer for the locals.

“Just rolling with mother nature,” Peters said, in typical surfer fashion.

He had plenty of time to recover from the precompetition surfing before his turn came in the eighth heat, hydrating and even taking a quick nap, he said.

The nap paid off. Peters took five waves, one more than the other three surfers in his heat, with his last two scores earning him the top spot in the heat and taking him to Round 2 of the trials.

His quarterfinals heat was the very last one of the day, roughly nine hours after he caught his first practice wave. He again recorded the top score of the group of four, meaning he’ll have another early morning of surfing Sunday.

“All these guys that are here in this event, they’re professionals, they travel year-round, they know what they’re doing,” Peters said. “I’m just trying to kick and scratch and get over that ledge.”

Follow Renee Griffin on Twitter @ReneeMGriffin