Manly Beach to host Australian Open surf festival in February IMG is aiming to turn the Australian Open of Surfing event at Sydney's Manly Beach into the "epicentre of surfing" Down Under. US-based sports management powerhouse IMG is aiming to turn the Australian Open of Surfing event at Sydney's Manly Beach into the "epicentre of surfing" Down Under. IMG senior vice president James Leitz said his company looked at Brazil, France, China and other locations to focus on a sister event for its mammoth annual US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles. "But it wasn't a long stretch to reach over and find Manly Beach," Leitz said at a media event held in the International Surf Museum at Huntington Beach. Just like the US Open of Surfing is the epicentre for surf culture in California, the Australian Open will be the equivalent for the surf industry Down Under. The Manly event will be held from February 8-14 and is expected to attract more than 175,000 spectators. The US Open is underway this week at Huntington Beach and is expected to draw 500,000 spectators and pump $US21 million into the local economy. The inaugural Australian Open of Surfing was held in 2012 at Manly, but it did not take place this year. Leitz said with surf wear company Hurley, Destination NSW and Manly Council behind it, they have high hopes for the 2014 event. As well as attracting elite surfers for an ASP Pro surfing tournament, the Australian Open will showcase action sports, music, fashion, lifestyle art and youth culture. Manly Mayor Jean Hay and Destination NSW representatives are in Huntington Beach this week for the US Open and are using the slogan "Be Manly" to entice Californians to the Australian event. They have set up a photo booth at the tournament for Californians to have their picture taken with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House and on Saturday will hold a Vegemite eating competition.