Winding down the summer in style

RICK FIGNETTI

It seems like summer just started just a little while ago, but really

there’s only a few weekends left for some folks. Colleges will be

going back at the end of the month, as well as some of the high

schools, in some cases, in just a few weeks.

Huntington Surf and Sport had its big back to school sale last

weekend with a bunch of good deals. Main Street was pretty packed

with shoppers, beachgoers, cruisers, families and tourists from all

over place.

This summer hasn’t exactly been the best for waves, but finally a

swell of size hit Tuesday outta the southwest, throwing some overhead

lines and bowls at the best spots. Hopefully it’ll hang for a few

days, which would be nice.

At the Western Region Surfing Assn.’s first event of the year a

couple of weeks ago at San Onofre trail six, Huntington’s Cody

Bertrand surfed to victory in the boys’ division, while fellow Surf

City resident Brock Bowden finished fourth. Cody also took a third in

the junior longboard while Cody’s dad, Troy Bertrand finished second

in seniors, ripping it up, and took a second in open longboard too. A

great father-son day, racking up the trophies.

Huntington’s Jeff Combs, nursing some bruised ribs, made it to the

semis in seniors. The former West Coast champ was seen slash’n a few

and Jay Boldt had some good ones too, rounding out the fourth spot in

open longboard.

There was a great white sighting a few days before at trail one. A

six- to eight-footer was seen lurking 40 yards off the beach,

cruising the reef for about an hour. They seem to like that warm

water by the nuclear plant and all the fish that swim there. There

was a surfer bumped by a shark, at the same spot, about a month ago.

So use precaution if ya surf in the area, and watch out for unusual

marine activity or consult the lifeguards before heading out.

The Wild Women Waterdays all-gals surf event was held at the pier

Saturday and Sunday, and local shredder and multi-time national champ

Kim Hamrock won the Queenies long board series and also placed second

in the short board group too. Fellow resident Jill Hawtrey came in

second in that action-packed final.

At the Huntington Beach Surf Series at Goldenwest Street over the

weekend, some of the different age group winners included Ian Crane

in the Super Groms, Taylor Fitzpatrick in the boys, while Allan

Kincade ripped to victory in juniors. The men saw Matt McDonell claim

first place, with “K.T”. Kirk Tice winning the masters division and

Phil “Lockie” Lockman taking the grand masters. Cathy Jo Northham

continued on her winning ways with a first in the women’s, and Scotty

Stopnik won the longboards.

There was a paddle out last Saturday for Keith Tucker, a former

Marina High surfing standout back in the late ‘70s who passed away

recently. Tucker was a ripper back in the day, here and wherever he

traveled. He lived in Hawaii on the North Shore above Velzy Land for

many years and later moved to Las Vegas. He’ll be missed by the boys,

who used to hear his happy scream’n voice off the first “T” at the

pier after a good ride when the waves were good.

The 34th annual H.B. Summer Surf contest entry forms have popped

up in your finer local surf shops this last week. The dates this year

are Sept. 18 and 19 at the pier. Entries are open to residents of

this city, Fountain Valley, Sunset Beach and Westminster. For more

details, check in with the Community Services Department in the Civic

Center on Main Street.

That’s it for now, Surfs up! See ya.

* RICK FIGNETTI is an nine-time West Coast champion, has

announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 11 years and has been the

KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf

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

(714) 536-1058.