In just over two weeks’ time the top 32 surfers in the world will descend upon the fabled cobbles of Lower Trestles for the Hurley Pro. The coming days will see the entire upper echelon of pro surfing take root in San Clemente, California, with all of them preparing for the Sept. 16 start. In other words, the locals will be treated, whether they like it or not, to surfing’s finest turning their home break into a star-studded warm-up track. Lowers is also a south swell magnet, so if this recent run of South Pacific and tropical storm activity continues in any way, we might see some fireworks.

The last time this kind of circus came to Southern California was July’s prime-rated Nike U.S. Open of Surfing, the $100k at stake won by Jules Wilson, just 30 minutes up the 405 North from San Clemente in Huntington Beach. Below is a montage by David Lee Scales of the practice field that became Huntington Beach Pier during that contest.