WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG: Heats are on at Mav’s

It’s big-wave time, right smack in the middle of winter here in Cali.

Way up north last Saturday was the opening day’s ceremonies for the annual big-wave contest at Maverick’s. The waiting period runs from Jan. 1 to March 31, during which 24 qualifying surfers will be on standby, waiting for the call that the massive waves have arrived. Maverick’s is a point break off a harbor entrance at Half Moon Bay, and can handle the big northwest 30- to 40-foot waves that roll down the coastline this time of year.

Big-wave pioneer Jeff Clark, noted for identifying and first surfing Maverick’s in the mid-’70s, started the West Coast’s huge surf event, and it’s been going big ever since. Surfers fly in from all parts of the world to surf it. For the chargers in the event, it’s a paddle-in take-off, and the one who gets the biggest bomb set will win $30,000.

Clark and fellow big-wave standout Grant Washburn gave a blessing at the foot of the towering cliffs last weekend with 16 contestants who then paddled out, formed a circle, said some prayers and went out to catch some 10-footers.

Other obstacles include freezing water in the upper 40s to 50s, Great White sharks that sometimes cruise the lineup, and a jagged rock reef that has caused some fatalities over the years. Some of the big-wave standouts in heat one are Santa Cruz’s go-for-it man, Peter Mel; Hawaiian Brock Little, a charger at Waimea Bay; and South African Grant Baker, who won last year.

In heat two are Santa Cruz’s backside terror Shane Desmond and fellow big-wave gun-rider Josh Loya, plus locals Zack Wormhoudt and Matt Ambrose.

Heat three includes Brazilian XXL big-wave rider Danilo Couto; multiple-time Mav’s winner Darryl “Flea’ Virosko and San Diego charger Evan Slater.

Heat four features Hawaii’s Jamie Sterling, who rides the outer reefs; Oz’s Fearless Ross Clarke Jones; the 2005 winner Anthony Tasnick; and San Clemente’s Greg Long, who’s won South Africa’s big-wave event at Dungeons and more. The surfers will receive 24-hour notice to get to the break, once the waves are spotted.

Meanwhile in Australia at the Billabong World Junior Championships, he did it again — South Africa’s 18-year-old Jordy Smith takes another win. After getting a third at J-Bay on the championship tour as a wild card last year, winning the International Surfing Assn.’s Gold in Huntington Beach, a second at Sunset at the World Cup, and winning Rookie of the Year honors at Triple Crown in Hawaii, he won the Assn. of Surfing Professionals’ Junior World Title at North Narrabeen, Australia.

Smith beat Brazilian Adriano De Souza, the 2003 winner, by a close margin in the final in 2-to-4-foot reeling surf. Smith had his best heat in the semifinals, when he took out hottie Hawaiian Mason Ho with some incredible air moves.

On his first wave, he busted a sick 360 front-side air reverse, and later threw a rail-grab air over a section — fins out — carved some heavy turns, and finished with another air reverse that left most spectators stunned. It looks like he’s destined for big things this year on the WQS as he tries to make the championship tour with the big boys. He just might be the next big thing since, yup, Kelly Slater!

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