Big surf at the Xcel Pro

How about this weather? Another heat wave hit our Surf City beaches in, yes, November, with sizzling air temps hitting the 70s-plus on the sand. Santa Ana conditions and light off-shores to glassy conditions prevailed along with a small combo swell outta the southwest and west, giving us fun, rippable surf.

You gotta love it when other parts of the U.S. are already freezin’.

Over in Hawaii, the action is already starting with the Assn. of Surfing Professional’s first event of the winter season, the $50,000, three-star Xcel Pro presented by No Fear. The 22nd annual contest got started with 6- to 10-foot surf and moderate offshore winds at the big wave spot, Sunset Beach.

So far in the trials rounds, some of the up-and-coming Hawaiians are looking good. Making it through were the “G- Man” Hank Gaskell and a transplant from Seal Beach, Chas Chidester.

Big-wave standout Makua Rothman and Maui’s Ian Walsh also ripped their heats, as did Japan’s Norimasa Ohno.

A former winner of the event, the power master Pancho Sullivan, tore up his heat and looks like he could make the final again.

Other former winners of the Xcel Pro include three-time world champ Andy Irons, his brother Brucey, former world champs Sunny Garcia and Derek Ho and North Shore ripper and World Championship Tour star Freddy Boy Pattachia.

They have a longboard expression session slated for the last day with progressive longboarders such as former world champs Joel Tudor and Bonga Perkins, Hawaiian standouts Lance Hookano and switch-foot Dino Miranda, and the West Coast’s Keegan Edwards.

There should be some big ripping going on in all the heats and finals, with some good-size surf expected this week.

Down in South America, the World Championship Tour has been on hold at the $270,000 Nova Schin Surf Festival presented by Billabong in Brazil. Contest director and former Huntington Beach resident Flavio Padaratz is waiting for the swell, expected to hit Thursday or Friday, to start the competition. This is the 10th event out of 11 on the Fosters Tour, which will be held at Florianapolis Beach. It features some fun peaky beach break.

The top 48 surfers will be on hand, but defending champ Taj Burrow broke his foot last month at a free surf at a friend’s wedding. He was trying to land a huge air and felt something pop on the side of his ankle. Burrow was in the top six in the standings. He should be ready for the last CT event at Pipeline next month.

Wild cards at the Brazilian contest include former world champ Tom Curren, former Edison high surfer Fabio Gouveia, and Brazil state champ Diego Rosa.

The world title race is on the line -- if six-time world champ Kelly Slater beats three-time world champ Andy Irons in the event, he’s the new world champ. But if Andy can beat Kelly, it keeps it rolling till Hawaii for the final showdown. We’ll keep ya posted.

Good luck and that’s it for now. Fig over and out -- see ya!

* RICK FIGNETTI is a nine-time West Coast champion, has announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 12 years. and has been the KROQ-FM surfologist. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.

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