Checkin’ the action on the waves

WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN FIG

The National Scholastic Surfing Assn.’s National Championships and

State Parks Governor’s Cup went off as expected with killer surf

hitting Lower Trestles with hot surfing action. The southwest swells

ranged from 3 to 8-foot plus on the face on some of the bombs, with

good to perfect shape most of the time. The weather was quite

typical, overcast giving way to sunshine with light winds over the

five-day spread. In the hotly contested Open men’s Governor’s Cup

final San Clemente’s Pat Gudauskas caught a good size wave, threw a

big carve in the pocket, nailed some straight up lip bashes and made

a rail grab 360-degree air finishing move that was insane to win it

scoring a wave almost perfect in the nine zone. Second was Ventura’s

Dane Reynolds who was ripping, too, and had a bunch of waves in the

eight zone but came up a hair short of a National title.

Last year’s winner, Hawaiian, “Bustin” Dustin Cuizon placed third

with some great rides and fellow Hawaiians Kekoa Bacalso placed

fourth, Nathan Carroll fifth and another San Clemente high product

Andrew Gahn placed sixth. These guys are the next crop of hot

amateurs from the U.S. to possibly turn pro and go on the circuit.

In the Women’s Open Newport’s Erica Hosseini slashed a bunch of

cutbacks on her waves to take the big win over a bunch of ripper

gals, mostly from Hawaii, for the National title.

In the Open mini groms, a little kid from Hawaii, John Florence,

was catching some incredible waves to win, while Newport’s Andrew

Doheny had some greats ones too, for second. Huntington High ripper

Ian Ekberg was surfing radical and placed fifth in Juniors.

Huntington Beach longboard sensation Justin Hugron went off,

getting some super long nose rides and modern progressive moves to

take an impressive victory and title.

In the Explorer National division, in Master’s, magazine editor

and big wave standout, Evan Slater was on fire and won. Seal Beach’s

Chas Wickwire and Chad Wells were third and fifth. Surfer and shaper

Wickwire also placed sixth in seniors. In the super seniors, yours

truly, the Figster, pulled an 8.25 from the judges on one set with a

bunch of slashing moves, had the win in pocket, but, got an

interference call and placed fifth. The overall West Coast points

winner, Pat Schlick, placed sixth to end a well-organized event with

more than 700 competitors from all over the United States in it.

On the Assn of Surfing Professionals world circuit, a big news

flash bulletin from the Quiksilver Pro at Niijima Island in Japan.

The surf was 2 to 3 foot with good shape as world champ Andy Irons

won his third event of the season, busting more than 1,000-point lead in the current ratings. Australian Joel Parkinson from the Gold Coast

was second. Irons pocketed $30,000 for the win. The standings see;

see Irons first, Fanning second, Perrow third, Parko fourth, the

U.S.’s Corey Lopez fifth, Kelly Slater sixth and C.J. Hobgood

seventh.

This week is the United States Surfing Federation’s United States

Championships at Oceanside pier. Some of the Huntington shredders are

in it, good luck. See ya.

* RICK FIGNETTI is an eight-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, doing morning surf

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

(714) 536-1058.