Time to Open up the surf spigots once again

Wet and Wild with Rockin’ Fig

America’s largest World Qualifying Series surf event for both men

and women is hitting the shores of Surf City this weekend for the

start of the $150,000 dollar U.S. Open of Surfing at the Huntington

Beach Pier.

This will be the ninth annual event presented by Phillips

Electronics, which offers six star-rated points to contestants.

So with valuable ratings points and big bucks at stake, more than

500 contestants from all around the globe will be on hand. The best

from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Japan and South

Africa will be surfing it up trying to get the big win.

The first U.S. Open winner was Shane Beschen back in ‘94’ pulling

some insane floaters. Rob Machado the Mobster from Cardiff, took the

next and even came back last year to lay stake to the claim again,

ripping that south peak throwing some upside down re-entries in the

last couple minutes to take it.

Six-time World Champ Kelly Slater has won it too, and has a

wildcard entry in it, so watch out, he’s extremely dangerous, and

knows the waters of the south side very well, coming here since he

was a little grom. Other big notables include, current world champ

from the East Coast C.J. Hobgood, who has the killer backside attack,

former world champ from Hawaii Sunny Garcia has always been a

standout here and is a crowd favorite with his powerful surfing and

slashback.

Championship Tour ripper Taylor Knox is entered with hot East

Coaster and Top 10 on the tour Corey Lopez, and West Coast standout

Pat O’Connell, all representing the U.S’ finest. Plus World

Qualifying Series ripper Tim Curran and Keith Malloy from Ventura,

Seal Beach’s PSTA leader Ryan Simmons, local hotties starting with

Jeff Deffenbaugh, who actually got on the WCT tour after a great

performance a few years back. The Huntington contingency is led by

new tour star Timmy Reyes, “the Larsenator” Jay Larsen and hot local

crew of Micah Byrne, Ryan Turner, Danny Nichols, Brandon Tipton and

Brett Simpson, of the new guard.

In longboarding, look for Mr. Casual Josh Mohr to be a big factor

with that local knowledge. So get set, get ready it’s about here.

In the women’s, four-time world champ Lisa Andersen is entered

along with hot Hawaiians Rochelle Ballard and Megan Abubo. Plus

Aussie shredders world champ Layne Beachley and Pauline Menczer too.

And if that’s not enough the Billabong Boost juniors will have the

hottest up-and-coming groms as well.

Yours truly, the Figster, will be the master of ceremonies along

with “the Morganator” and TV’s David Stanfield. So come on down, it’s

gonna be rockin.

Summer lights a blaze along the local scene

In other surf news, summer’s in full swing, and the beach’s have

been pretty packed lately.

The Professional Surfing Tour of America had a pretty nice crowd

on hand at Golden West Street to witness Seal Beach’s Ryan Simmons

win another one.

Simmons ripped it up, and had good wave selection throughout the

event with multiple maneuver waves in the final.

Simmons is the current No. 1 in the overall standings having

another great PSTA season. It was a tough sea-saw battle with hot

local ripper Jeff Deffenbaugh, who came in second.

Deffenbaugh was pretty much a machine, tearing up tons of heats on

the way to the final. Huntington’s Micah Byrne was ripping it up too,

getting third, and rounding out the top four was Geoff Moysa of San

Clemente.

Surf City’s Jessie Evans lost a close one in the semis, and Danny

Nichols, Brandon Tipton and Willie Safreed lost out in the quarters

as did three-time World Champ Tom Curren.

In longboarding, Huntington stylemaster Josh Mohr took first place

honors. Mohr is holding down the No. 1 spot in the ratings with only

a few more to go, and to the delight of the crowd and announcer Mike

Morgan he did a cockroach on his last wave for his final move.

A cockroach is where you lay on your back on your surfboard and

wiggle your arms and legs in the air. You gotta do it just right to

get the BIG points. Jeff Moysa was a two-final man getting second in

the longboarding, possibly a first, and making it the shortboard

finals too.

Marina High’s Dodger Kremel was third and Steve Newton fourth

respectively with some nice rides as well. In the women’s, Australian

Prue Jeffreys ran away with it showing her veteran skills of years on

the ASP pro circuit. New up-and-comer Julia Christian of Carlsbad was

second. Third was Surfside’s Jodie Nelson who’s first in the ratings,

while fourth went to Newport’s Erica Hosseini.

The United States Amateur Surfing Championships are going on this

week at Oceanside Pier. East Coast, West Coast, Gulf Coast and Hawaii

will be sending competitors to surf it.

See ya at the U.S. Open,

Fig over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a seven-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.