WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:Karma, surf were workin’

A couple weeks ago, the Sunset League All-Star Surfing Championships were held at the Huntington Beach Pier on the south side. The surf was pumping in outta the Northwest in the 3- to 7-foot-plus range with fair to good shape, with long, lined-up rights and bowl-driving lefts. Nice conditions were on tap, too, with sunny skies and hardly any wind.

Some of the high schools competing were Huntington Beach High School, Edison, Marina, Fountain Valley and Long Beach Millikan. In the men’s short board, Huntington High almost recorded a sweep with Logan Strook taking the win with a 9.7 score for a couple big snaps, a roundhouse cutback and a connection to the inside, showing why he received the MVP in men’s shortboard. H.B.’s Quinn McCrystal, Eddie Elles and Colton Larsen finished second, third and fourth respectively — all ripping, too, as Edison’s Keetin Divine came in fifth, and H.B.’s A.J. Collins finished sixth.

In the women’s shortboard, H.B.’s Sara Taylor won. Another Sunset League MVP, she was on fire the whole event, even getting a perfect 10 on one ride when she made a late drop, pulled into the barrel, shot out and slashed the lip at high speed to the cheers of her teammates on the beach. Second-place winner was Huntington’s Jenna Balestar, who got some great rides, while third and fourth places went to Edison’s Jade Pearson and Charlene Beck, as Megan Myer from Marina and Neva Forrester of Fountain Valley placed fifth and sixth.

In men’s longboard, Sterling Foxcroft, the standout from Edison and an MVP, took the win over H.B.’s Shane McDole who was shredding too. Edison’s Jeff Newell was third, H.B.’s Billy Hopkins finished fourth, Marina’s Gene Rodriquez placed fifth, and Cody Lamb of Fountain Valley rounded out the top six.

In women’s longboard, Marina’s Michelle Powell got some nice nose rides for the win, Edison’s Catherine Vasquez and Alisha Wagner, a League MVP, were second- and third-place winners, while Fountain Valley’s Neva Forrester finished fourth, making two finals, and H.B.’s Maddison Olsen and Katie Berry placed fifth and sixth in a tight one. In body boarding, another League MVP, Chris Welpman, was busting the moves and won, while fellow teammate Jarroh Englehardt was second. Edison’s Mike Wellwood was third, and F.V.’s Josh Stanz finished fourth.

And in the Air Show heat, it was a first, second and third combo for the Oliers, with Bryan VanArsdale winning, teammate Brock Bowden placing second, and Kyle McGerry right behind. Edison’s Keetin Divine — known for his air moves too — placed fourth, making two finals.

And in the man-on-man heat for coaches, Huntington’s Barry Deffenbaugh took the decision over F.V.’s Gary Ludwig. The Sunset League director Scott Graham put on another flawless surf event with killer waves — it must be good karma!

Winter officially started Friday with the winter solstice — the shortest day for light in the year. I wondered where those dawn patrols and the evening sessions went too. Time to make those New Year’s resolutions: more surf, less work, lose some pounds, get into shape, more traveling, get barreled — A, B, C, D, E, F, or all of the above. Happy New Year. Fig over and out.