Surf scene heating up along coast

WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG

The surf scene was hot up and down the coastline this last weekend,

with surf events in a couple classic areas for the amateurs.

Taking a look at the surf season, we just passed the halfway mark

for the two big amateur surfing tours. The National Scholastic

Surfing Assn. held its Explorer No. 6 contest at San Diego’s Mission

Beach on Saturday and Sunday in some 2- to 3-foot surf, with

occasional 4-foot-plus surf. There seemed to be a small pulse of

southwest and some west swells, too, with some fun workable waves on

the higher tide.

A few of our Surf City residents made the trek, starting out in

menehunes, with a new transplant from Ventura, Quinn McCrystal,

placing sixth.

The boys had some action-packed heats, with Huntington Beach’s

Marty Weinstein getting second and Tommy Steury finishing up fourth.

Making the men’s final, in fourth and sixth, respectively, were Todd

Hutton and Justin Hugron. Hugron, a former Edison Charger, also

competed in longboard, where he placed fifth.

Masters saw Huntington surfer and shaper Barry Deffenbaugh, who’s

been out on the injured reserve list lately, show up, tear it up and

take the win. Seal Beach’s Chas Wickire rode his fish shape to a

third place in seniors. While Super Seniors saw the Figster come up

with the victory and the points leader Pat Schlick finish, one-two,

battling wave for wave.

In women’s, Newport’s Erica Hosseini finished up second -- she’s

also leading the series. Huntington Beach’s Allison Arvizu came in

fourth. She had that great showing in the Surf and Snowboard Classic

just a few weeks ago.

A late-breaking news flash, Feb. 8 and 9 at Newport’s 54th Street,

the NSSA held its eighth Open Season surf contest. A Huntington High

School ripper, former middle school champ Ian Ekberg, won the juniors

with some big moves. In minigroms, Newport’s Andrew Doheny won it

again -- that’s eight wins in a row. Now that’s incredible. Hosseini

took the win and led the ratings on both Open and Explorer circuits,

and Huntington’s Eva Lewington rounded out the top five.

Next up, this weekend is San Clemente Pier. We’re on a roll.

Meanwhile, up the coast, the United States Surfing Federation was

holding its Topanga surf contest in some 1- to 3-foot-plus surf.

There were some fast, lined-up righties, wrapping the point on the

right tidal zone. In the district series, Huntington’s Jeff Combs

made the final and was fourth in the open men’s. Long Beach’s Raquel

Bartlow was fourth in the women’s open. When the championship tour

started, Raquel was tearing it up, placing second in shortboard and

fourth in longboard, not to mention making the finals of the Wahini

series.

Transplant from Japan to Huntington Beach Taichi Maruyama got

second in men’s. In seniors, Surf City’s James Webb caught a couple

nice ones and pulled into second, putting points leader Combs in

fourth. Doing double duty, Figster got lucky and won grandmasters,

catching a couple sets and even getting an eight on one wave. Next

up, Huntington Beach Pier, March 2.

* 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.