Heat hits just in time for groms

RICK FIGNETTI

How ‘bout the weather.

Record-setting sunny days hit our Surf City beaches, where air

temps scorched the sands at 90-degrees plus early this week. Sunday

saw good-sized crowds trying to cool down in our local waters, as

mild Santa Ana wind conditions put a nice texture on the wave faces,

which produced some mini bowls, too.

A lot of people were paying the price for this early heat wave

with flaming red, sunburnt bodies -- ouch. Don’t forget to put on the

sun-block, available in higher SPF ratings for more protection and in

some cases waterproof for action in the surf zone.

Perfect summer conditions set the pace for the “Jericho’s Kids for

Clean Waves Surf Contest” that went off big time Saturday on the

south side of the Huntington Pier. All divisions were 17 and under,

broken down at 14- and 11-year-old brackets.

With all the boys’ and girls’ short board, long board, bodyboard,

prosthetic and novice surfers’ heats going on, it kept the action on

the beach sizzling, with family, friends, sun worshipers and early

Spring Breakers from back East pretty entertained.

Here’s the good news: The proceeds from the contest were donated

to the Surfrider Foundation, the International Surfing Museum of

Huntington Beach and the Sierra Club. They were rightfully rewarded

for their efforts to preserve and protect our waves and beaches,

provide educational outreach programs, support cultural involvement

in the arts and sciences and share the stoke of surfing!

This four-star event has been going on for 12 years, formerly at

Seal Beach, and this year it’s joining up with the United States

Surfing Federation and moving south to Huntington Beach. Of course,

many of you remember Jericho Poppler as a top-ranked female surfer

from a few years back who was known for ripping it up. She was a 1999

inductee for Woman of the Year on the Surfing Walk of Fame on Main

Street.

Jericho still gets out there and surfs really well, and is now

married to Dr. Greg Bartlow. She has a few daughters, Sofia, Bridgett

and Raquel, who are starting to tear up the surf too. It’s nice to

see her give back to the sport of surfing, putting on a good

vibe-type surfing contest for the youngsters. To top it off, former

Huntington resident and emcee on the mike, Mike Downey, was giving

away all the prizes that were donated by local merchants to try to

make everybody who showed up and participated a winner.

Also, local resident, dermatologist and skin care doctor Cole

Fulwider, an avid surfer herself, was giving away sun-block and

offering free skin cancer screening to many of the young

up-and-coming surfers. Even legendary Bob “the Greek” Bolen, the

Turbo Fin designer and local shaper, was seen checking out the action

and scouting the new talent.

Congratulations to all who competed, had fun, and made the final

placing in all the age groups. See ya again next year.

* 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.