Wet and Wild with Rockin Fig

In a star-studded final at the Rip Curl Pro in Newport Beach over the

weekend, Hawaii’s rad man Andy Irons had the right moves to win it.

Iron’s a World Tour standout was also a two-event winner in Huntington

Beach in the summer of 1998, taking the O.P. Pro and U.S. Open, back to

back.

Hot Aussie shredder Taz Burrow finished second with some great rides.

In third was East Coast standout North Carolina’s Ben Bourgeois, and

rounding out the top four was Brazilian ripper Danilo Costa. Equal fifths

went to hot up-and-coming junior Bobby Martinez of Santa Barbara and

Australian Lee Winkler.

The top of the local contingency went to Ryan Simmons of Seal Beach,

who placed equal 13th. Surf City’s Jeff Deffenbaugh finished equal 25th.

World champ Sunny Garcia, Shane Beshen and East Coaster Damien Hobgood

were knocked out early, as some of the top dogs were on hand.

The women’s division was won by Hawaiian Sena Seramur. She came from

behind in the end to nip local standout Surfside’s Jodie Nelson, who was

leading a lot of the final. The overall points leader, Julia Christian,

was third after winning the last few Professional Surfing Tour of America

events and another, Hawaiian Yvette Bertleman, finished in the fourth

position.

It’s almost time again for the south of the border longboard

tube-riding contest at Puerto Escondido. Tom Chaney, a former resident of

Huntington Beach, who shares time living down in Mexico, put together the

Central Surf Longboard Classic at Puerto, the Mexican Pipeline, a couple

years ago with a few friends.

Last year, the U.S.’s Darren Leddingham won with some nice tube rides.

The year before that, the surf was a macking 15 to 20 feet and the surf

got bigger and bigger until the final. It ended up a draw with Hawaii’s

Kainoa Dahlin and Aussie Beau Young calling it a tie in the insane

conditions.

The waiting period starts Sept. 18 and goes until Sept. 23, running on

the best days. Huntington Beach’s finest Josh Mohr is entered. Also

heading down are: the style master Joel Tudor; winner of the U.S. Open

Josh Baxter; new world champ Colin McPhillips and former world champ from

Hawaii, Bonga Perkins.

Fifteen thousand dollars is up for grabs, and the saying is “mo bigga,

mo betta!”

On a sadder note there will also be a memorial for former contestants

Jay Moriarity and Cyrus King and talented videographer Chris Bystrom. All

were part of the event and passed away this last year.

Three events on the East Coast, the last one was the Unsound Pro at

Long Beach, New York, which saw local East Coast ripper Randy Townsend

win it, with a high five going to Surf City resident Ryan Carlson who

placed second. The surf wasn’t bad either, 1 to 3 foot with clean

offshore conditions in the mornings.

News flash -- the second event for the United States Surfing

Federation was held up at Morro Bay, right by the rock. A few Huntington

Beach residents braved the long drive and cooler water temps. In the

senior men’s division, James Webb won all his heats ‘til the final, where

he placed fourth. But he took out some big guns on the way.

In an all-Huntington Beach grand masters final, the Schlickster, Pat

Schlick, found all the sets and won it. Yours truly, the Figster, was

second, third was U.S. Champ Steve Weaver and fourth was Jay Bolt, who

had some nice ones, too.

Next week we’ll try to get the scoop on the boys back from Ireland,

coaches Andy Verdone and Barry Deffenbaugh and Huntington Beach High

School shredders. That’s it for now. Fig over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a six-time West Coast champion, has announced the

U.S. Open of Surfing the last eight years and has been the KROQ-FM

surfologist for the last 15 years where he’s done morning surf reports.

He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.