Wet and Wild with Rockin’ Fig -- Rick Fignetti

Let’s start off with a happy Fourth of July to everyone. I know I’ll

see a lot you folks on Main Street today watching the biggest parade west

of the Mississippi. It should be the big shin dig. In fact, there’s a

little fund-raiser for the Huntington Beach High School basketball team,

selling hot dogs and drinks near the park. I’ll be there hangin’ and

flipping some burgers. How bout this weather -- it’s been great. The flat

spell has broken too, with that southwest swell that hit, and there’s

been some good overhead sets. The water’s been feelin’ nice too, mid-60s.

The focal point in amateur surfing was the National Scholastic Surfing

Assn.’s National Championships at Lower’s Tuesday through Saturday. That

swell hit at the end of the week and set up for some epic conditions. The

size was 4- to 7-foot plus, with good shape, peeling in both directions

for the finals. The hottest crop of amateur surfers from the East Coast,

California and Hawaii battled it out, with some of the highest surfing

levels seen lately. Some of the new up-and-comers look like they’ll do

some damage in the World Qualifying Series.

And who knows, possibly the World Championship Tour.C.J. Hobgood, the

world champ, and Andy Irons, leading the championship tour ratings right

now, were former NSSA standouts and national champs. On the other hand,

most of the surfers don’t win a title. It’s the experience of surfing in

the biggie and having fun that stokes a lot of the contestants out.

Making new friends and meeting a lot of of surfers from other areas that

you can go visit later on in life play a big part in this surf contest.

In the big-time, the open men’s season final saw some great rides --

Hawaiian Dustin Cuizon had some big moves and big scores to win it. Not

only did he win mens, he won the Explorer juniors too. Huntington Beach

hottie Brett Simpson lost out in the semis. Losing out in the

quarterfinals, was Brad Ettinger.

Juniors was won by hot East Coaster Jeremy Johnston who was shredding

it up. Huntington Beach’s Ian Ekberg lost in thequarters as did Kory

Lapoint. Ian did go off in the middle school final and won that, helping

Dywer Middle School get second overall. Hawaiian Kai Barger took first

place in boys, while Surf City’s Tommy Steury made it as far as the semis

for a pretty good showing. And in bodyboarding Hawaiian Josh Wills came

up with the win but local, Darren Moody got third and local Kris Espinoza

made it to the finals with a great effort. In masters, Seal Beach’s Chad

“The Lad” Wells, won again this year taking the title, he won it last

year too. Fellow Seal Beach surfer and shaper Chas Wickwire placed third

and also finished second in seniors. Huntington Beach Pier regular Phill

Lockman finished equal seventh in seniors. In the super seniors a

pumped-up Pat Schlick won it, capping off a great season. The Figster

took equal seventh and “P.T.” Peter Townend got equal ninth -- both

involved in an interference call half way through the heat, in the semis.

In longboarding Marina’s Dodger Kremel came in second and Edison’s Justin

Hugron was fourth. Justin also won high school longboarding with some

fancy footwork. In the Explorer men Nathanial Curran went off busting

some tail to take it. That about wraps it up for the NSSA ‘till next

season. See ya.

* 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

(106.7) 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.