It’s all French (and upsets) for the pros overseas

RICK FIGNETTI

The surf scene’s still in full swing with the big boys over in

France. The Rip Curl Pro has gotten underway in Hossegor with the

waves in the two- to four-foot range with some offshore winds.

Some big results have already come in. Three-time world champ Tom

Curren, who received a wildcard, put on quite a display of surfing to

start out round two, but didn’t have enough to get past Lower’s

winner Joel “Parko” Parkinson, who was on fire again.

Curren used to live in France back in the day and has always been

quite a favorite there. He used to split time between those killer

French beach breaks and Santa Barbara’s point break Rincon in his

home town.

No. 6 seed Damien Hobgood, whose home state of Florida has been

getting worked by the hurricanes lately, lost to the hard charging

Brazilian Armando Daltro. Wildcard Frenchman Eric Rebiere ousted No.

9 seed Australian Jake Patterson in a close one. The upset losers

included Carlsbad’s Taylor Knox, Laguna Beach’s Pat O’Connell, San

Clemente’s Corey Lopez and Aussie Mark “Occy” Occhilupo among the top

guns.

In one of the later heats, Aussie Mick Campbell tied Hawaiian

Kalani Robb on points and, on the countback of a third wave, advanced

by a mere quarter of a point.

A dropping swell is forecasted for mid-week, picking up at the end

to pretty good size, yeah! Stay posted next week for final results.

The top women surfers will be coming to the West Coast for the

World Championship Tour event, the Rip Curl Pro at Surfrider Beach,

Malibu, this weekend. The big names will be on hand, starting with

ratings leader Sophia Mulanovich, who’s won a few events this season,

plus big wave standout Rochelle Ballard, who’s number two in the

standings and having a great year.

Brazil’s Jacqueline Silva is third, while world champ Layne

Beachley and U.S. Open winner Chelsea Georgeson are tied for fourth

in the points race and looking to move up. Others to watch are

Hawaiian Keala Kennelly and South Africa’s Heather Clark, to name a

few.

Local wonder boy Timmy Reyes has done it again, going back to

back. After a victory in Atlantic City at the Dan Heritage Pro, he

also won the two-star Unsound Pro in New York. The surf was unheard

of, getting as big as double overhead, compliments of Hurricanes

Jeanne and Karl who were throwing some huge swells along the East

Coast.

Reyes took out some stiff competition in the final -- Aussie

ripper Beau Mitchell was second, followed by Hawaiian Jessie Merle

Jones in third and San Clemente’s Chris Ward in fourth.

There are still some big pointers on the World Qualifying Series

schedule before it’s over. Coming up here in California is the

four-star Cold Water Classic in Santa Cruz, Oct. 20 to 24. South

America is next with the six-star in Florianapolis, Brazil from Oct.

25 to 31. The tour will end with a Hawaiian leg, starting with the

six-star Vans Hawaiian Pro at Haliewa, Nov. 12 to 24 and finishing

with the O’Neill World Cup at Sunset Beach, Nov. 26 to Dec. 7.

So the last surf contests are on the North Shore, right smack in

the winter storm track for a possibility of big surf at those classic

breaks.

High five to local filmmaker Timmy Turner for taking the top video

award for the hot flick “Second Thoughts,” on his journey to Indo

with buddies Brett Swartz and Travis Potter at the Surfer Poll awards

recently.

That’s it for now. See ya, Fig over and out.

* 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. He owns a surf shop on

Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.