Summer’s history but the action is just now heating up

WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG

It all came together for the last three-day weekend of summer. The

heat wave finally hit as temperatures soared on the sands at

80-degrees plus. The sun worshipers took advantage of some sizzling

conditions as the beach’s were packed. We’re talking so hot it was

burning the feet big time, just walking to the water to cool down.

The surf had a nice little combo rolling in too, although the water

temps have dropped a little. And by now the new Hurricane swell,

Hernan should be giving Surf City beaches some way-over-head surf,

with some freight train lefts peelin’.

Coming up this weekend, is the 32nd annual Summer Surf Contest at

the Huntington Beach Pier. It’s presented by the city of Huntington

Beach and Huntington Surf and Sport. This event has had a

long-running history of having some great surfing by locals in all

age divisions. Action is slated to begin at 7 a.m. with preliminaries

on Saturday and the semifinals and finals on Sunday. Trophies will be

given to the top six finishers in all division finals. It could be

pumpin’ if that Hurricane swell hangs for a couple days.

The U.S. has claimed another World Longboard Title as San

Clemente’s Colin McPhillips has racked up another, making him a

three-time world champ, and tying him with Hawaii’s Rusty Keaulana.

McPhillips won $15,000 for his feat at La Roca, Cabo, Mexico. The

rights suited his style in the 2-to 3-foot surf, as he took the

victory with a couple bomb scores, two in the nine zone, clinching

the victory over Hawaiian Bonga Perkins in the 35-minute final. Just

a few days earlier McPhillips’s fiancee gave birth to their first

child, so definitely a big week for Colin.

Congratulations.

The World Championship Tour is geared to get going -- possibly on

the first day of the waiting period -- today at Lower’s, in San

Clemente, surf permitting. The Boost-Mobile Pro, presented by

Billabong, will have the top 44 on hand including wildcard Kelly

Slater, the six-time world champ, and Hawaiian shredder barrel rider

Bruce Irons.

Also the United States Surfing Federation is heading to the chilly

waters of Morro Bay, to the Rock, for its second event of the 2002-03

season, this weekend. I know a few of the boys will be on the road.

So keep it rockin’. Fig over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a seven-time West Coast champion, has

announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last nine years and has been

the KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 17 years where he’s done morning

surf reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him

at (714) 536-1058.