Wave: Trestles
Nicknames: Lowers, Middles, Uppers
Where: San Onofre State Beach Park, California, USA
When: Best Autumn to Spring
Why: Smooth as silk
Stats: Holds 1-12ft, wave ride from 150ft to 500ft


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Standing at the top of the cliffs at San Onofre State Beach Park can be mesmerizing.  Glassy waves roll in, one after another, begging to be ridden.  What look like ants float on the surface, and it's only when one of this black dots paddles into a wave do you realize that the water is swarming with surfers.  Welcome to Trestles.
 
California is synonymous with surfing, what with its Pacific coast being hit with good waves throughout the year. However, there is one spot in particular that has attracted more attention than any other- Trestles.  Home to the only ASP world championship event on the North American continent in recent years (not counting the new Quiksilver Pro New York this year), Trestles is infamous.  


 
The reason why Trestles is so revered, is that it has some of the glassiest, most consistently true to form wave going. Each wave breaks perfectly, lining up on a good day, and can be ridden for what seems like an age when the conditions come together.  What we call Trestles can actually be divided up into 3 waves- Lowers, Middles and Uppers.  Pretty self explanatory, as each spot refers to where it is.  The most commonly recognized spot is Lowers, as this is the break that is used each year by the Hurley Pro.
 
Lowers is a pointbreak, that's why it just keeps on going.  Most surfers will choose to go right, but the odd wave can had on the left-hand.  The sandy-bottomed wave is incredibly popular with the local crew of the neighbouring town of San Clemente, and any given day of the week will see crowds floating in the line up.
 
Trestles is a protected wave, since it lies within the San Onofre State beach park.  This park was established back in 1971 by President Ronald Reagan, and it's done its job to keep the area free from development that would destroy the waves and the natural beauty of the area.  Local surfers and San Clemente residence keep a strict eye on what goes on within the area, and have often protested if a company comes in with plans that will alter the park.

 
This year Hurley will again set up camp at Trestles in late September for spot 7 of 11 of the ASP World Championship Tour. The event is set to run from 18th to 24th September, and will be broadcast on the web at Hurley's live site of www.hurley.com/hurleypro.  However, if you can't wait that long to see the pros in action, check out the video of last year's fun session for a taste of how good Lowers is in reality.