WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:Slates takes eighth straight

History has been made again, this time at the Billabong Mundaka Pro in Spain.

The surf was not quite as epic as earlier in the week, still in the two- to four-foot zone, with some crumbly, lined-up, fast-peeling lefts off the point.

The 2006 Assn. of Surfing Professionals season came down to a big semifinal, with Aussie Joel Parkinson squaring off with seven-time world champ Kelly Slater. If the U.S.’s Slater wins, it’s title No. 8; if he loses, Parko still has a shot at a world title, as does fellow Aussie Taj Burrow, who went down in the quarterfinals.

Parkinson thus far had racked the highest scores of the event, in fact getting the best tubes.

But with Slater surfing with a precise backhand, bashing lip sections and connecting inside the contest stayed close. With only a few minutes left, Slates found another wave, a runner down the beach, again slashing top turns at high speed, throwing big water, turn after turn, to shut the door on any bit of Parko’s last hopes.

Result: another world title for Slater, numero eight, eclipsing the record books again.

That set up the final with a rookie from Santa Barbara, Bobby Martinez. Martinez, a hot goofy footer — hat’s front side to this wave — was definitely one of the fastest surfers at the event. The final was no different, with Martinez speed snapping, going 90, and he couldn’t be stopped.

Martinez, surfing against his boyhood idol, was stoked to be in the water with him on this history-setting day, so actually there were two winners!

Surf City is playing host to the International Surfing Assn. world surfing games, which is like the Surfing Olympics.

Last Saturday, they had the opening ceremonies at the pier, which I emceed. All the teams marched on the pier, waved their flags and brought sand from their home breaks to mix together for peace and unity.

The event started on Sunday with longboard and bodyboard, and then on Monday the open men’s event began. The U.S. had a great run Monday with its power-packed surfers — C.J. and Damien Hobgood, Pat O’Connell and Chris Ward — winning all their heats. The women surfed on Tuesday and lots of ripping was seen from all the different countries. Brazil’s Jacqueline Silva was one of the standouts.

More eliminations were held throughout the week, with the semifinals coming up this Saturday and the finals Sunday. As usual, the Australian team will be tough. They won in Ecuador in 2004 and have world tour rippers Luke Stedman and Tom Whitaker, plus the world junior champ Julian Wilson.

Hawaii has 1996 longboard champ Bonga Perkins, shortboard ripper Gavin Gillette and national-champ Bethany Hamilton.

South Africa won in 2002 and will be led by Jordy Smith on the men’s side, Rosanne Hodge on the women’s side and Matthew Moir in longboard.

Brazil has veterans Armando Daltro and Wilson Nora and women’s ripper Silva.

Possibly the most stacked team this year is the U.S.A., with former world-champ C.J. and brother Damien in the top 10 world standings, Wardo the “air master” and O’Connell, who retired recently, but still rips.

On the women’s side, Julia Christian is a tour surfer and has won the U.S. Open, and Courtney Conologue and H.B.’s Sarah Taylor are rising stars.

See ya there!