Live from the U.S. Open ...

WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN FIG

It’s been going big time on the beach at the Philips Fusion festival,

featuring the Honda Element U.S. Open of Surfing presented by

O’Neill. The crowd has been turning out in large numbers, watching

the nation and the world’s best surfers tear up the Huntington surf

on the south side of the pier.

There has been some southwest pulses pushing in some contestable

surf. But the big news flash is that a big southwest swell is

forecast for the West Coast at the end of the week, bringing overhead

surf at the best southwest facing beaches -- like ours.

The weather has been quite tropical with a some high thin clouds

and some monsoonal humidity in the air. Sun worshipers have been

loving it, too, turning shades darker when the sun pops out.

The contest has been starting off at 8 a.m. daily and running

until about 4:15 p.m.

Today’s action will feature the round of 96, or round seven of

men’s surfing. Each round has 64 surfers in them. When its over, half

will advance to the next round and meet up with the seeded surfers.

The surfers with the highest rankings get the farthest seeds.

One of the previous winners of the U.S. Open, Rob Machado, got his

entry in late and had to start in round one, but he has destroyed

each heat he’s been in with seven-and eight-point rides.

Another former winner of the contest, crowd favorite Shane Beshen,

will be coming up this morning in the round of 96, along with

Hawaiian rippers Bruce Irons and Ross Williams. But the top-seeded

guns won’t be coming up until Friday in the round of 64, the farthest

you can be seeded. Top 10 world tour standout Cory Lopez is in heat

one.

After getting second at Jeffries Bay last week, Damien Hobgood

from Florida is in heat four. The world champ, Kawaiian Andy Irons,

is scheduled to surf in heat eight with none other than former

three-time world champ Tom Curren -- that should be a smoker. Aussie

shredder Taj Burrow is looking to leave his mark here in Huntington

Beach. He has Big wave rider Taylor Knox in heat nine.

Two former winners are in heats 11 and 12, Kalani Robb and Aussie

Mick Cambell.

Huntington Beach’s rad man Timmy Reyes has a wild card spot in 14

and has the moves to make a possible final. And former world champ

C.J. Hobgood has wild card and Surf City local Brett Simpson in 16,

who’s known for busting some fat incredible airs, which could lead to

some possible upsets. It looks like Kelly Slater has pulled out, but

the show will roll on.

On Saturday, there will be women’s quarters, semis and finals, and

longboard semis and finals, too. Local style-master Josh Mohr has

made the semis, and has been looking strong, as has the world champ

from San Clemente, Colin McPhillips, who’s had some of the best

roundhouse cutbacks in the event. This year, Joel Tudor’s out from

illness, which will give someone else a shot at the title.

In the juniors, the Hawaiian’s took most of the spots in the

semis, like Sean Moody and bustin’ Dustin Cuizon to name a few.

On Sunday, it’ll start out with the men’s round of 32 and go into

the quarters, juniors semis, men’s semis, juniors’ final and men’s

final at 2:30 p.m. By then, people will probably be packed in like

sardines, with an estimated 250,000 surf fans coming down to check it

out. The Figster, “the Morganator” and David Stanfield will be

keeping ya updated, with a bunch of guest commentators filling in,

too.

Lots of stuff going on. Today will also be the induction of the

sports champions, pioneers and local heroes such as Chuck Linnen at

the Surfing Walk of Fame in front of Jacks Surfboards at 10 a.m.,

which has always been classic. Plus, Huntington Surf and Sport’s Hall

of Fame at 10 a.m. Friday will induct world champs Andy Irons and Tom

Curren, wetsuit innovator Jack O’Neill and legend Shaun Tompson. Host

Mike Morgan will do the honors.

So, a big week in Surf City. Hope to 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.