Fuel TV Offers True HD Webcast of Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing

Los Angeles, CA – FUEL TV, the only network dedicated to the lifestyle of action sports, is proud to offer the first true HD webcast of a surf contest with the 2009 Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing. On Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, internet viewers will be able to watch the HD webcast of the final rounds of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing, as well as, women’s Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing, the Nike 6.0 Junior finals, the Corona Nose Riding Invitational final, WPS All-Star Tow-in expressions session, and Life Rolls On “They Will Surf Again” session live on FUEL TV’s website at www.fuel.tv/usopenofsurfing.

“FUEL TV is excited to be webcasting this year’s Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing exclusively in true HD quality,” says Gene Pao, FUEL TV’s Vice President of New Media and International Development. “All production will be done in HD, and the webcast stream will be delivered at 2.4mbps using Move Networks technology. FUEL TV is honored to partner with Hurley and IMG to present the U.S. Open to the world using the highest quality live-event production and video delivery technologies available on the internet today.”

“The U.S. Open of Surfing is elevated to a new level this year both on the beach and online,” says Pat O’Connell, Hurley’s VP of Sports Marketing. “We’re excited to be partnering with FUEL TV and we’re looking forward to seeing the webcast in HD.”

On its 50th anniversary, the Hurley U.S. Open is offering the first-place finisher a record $100,000, the biggest first-place price in professional surfing’s history. The historic event will run from July 20-26, 2009, at the famed Huntington Beach pier. The magnitude of this event has attracted the world’s best surfers from the prestigious ASP World Tour as well as top seeded surfers from the ASP WQS who are looking to gain valuable qualification points in their campaigns for a World Tour berth in 2010. The epic field of world class competitors is headlined by nine-time world champion Kelly Slater; former world champions Andy Irons, Mick Fanning, C.J. Hobgood and Sunny Garcia; and three-time U.S. Open champion Rob Machado.

The event will also showcase the Women’s WQS, the Nike 6.0 Junior Pro, and the Corona Nose Riding Invitational longboard contests. On Saturday, the HD webcast will kick off with the Hurley U.S. Open men’s round of 16, followed by the Hurley U.S. Open women’s semifinals, WPS All-Star Tow-in Expression Session, Nike 6.0 Junior semifinals, Hurley Pro Wildcard trials, Nike 6.0 Junior women’s final, Corona Nose Riding Invitational semifinals, and finally, the Hurley U.S. Open women’s final. On Sunday, the HD webcast will begin with the Hurley U.S. Open men’s quarterfinals followed by the semifinals. There will be a break before the final when the Corona Nose Riding Invitational final will take place, along with the Nike 6.0 Junior men’s semifinals, WPS All-Star Tow-in Expression Session, Life Rolls On “They Will Surf Again” session and concluding with the Hurley U.S. Open men’s final.

FUEL TV has successfully executed several live HD quality webcasts this spring and summer-most recently the 6.0 Lowers Pro surf contest and the Maloof Money Cup skateboard contest. In addition, FUEL TV produced the first full HD webcast of a skate contest, the Tampa Pro, in March. In all cases, FUEL TV has utilized video technology from Move Networks that provides video delivery rates more than three times the encoding rate of traditional technologies.

FUEL TV also offers a limited selection of full-length episodes of its programming in HD streaming on its web site. Viewers can watch HD versions of shows such as “New Pollution” and “Firsthand” using the same HD player as is used for the 2009 Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing webcast. FUEL TV will offer “heats on demand” immediately following the live webcast.

Make sure to watch the FUEL TV HD webcast of the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday July 26, starting at 8:00am PT. For all the action and more information, log on to www.fuel.tv/usopenofsurfing.

About FUEL TV

FUEL TV is the only 24/7 action sports lifestyle network for skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, freestyle motocross, and wakeboarding. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, FUEL TV was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in 30 million U.S. homes. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.