WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

Well, just as expected some good size surf has been hitting the North Shore of Hawaii just in time for the Reef Hawaiian Pro. In fact, probably the largest surf for an event seen there in a while, we’re talking macking 12- to 15-foot plus at Haleiwa. The big surf suited Hawaiian Roy Powers’ style as he picked off the bombs, got some heavy barrels and some mean carves in some steep, racy, way-overhead walls to earn the win.

Powers scored two waves in the nine zone and comboed the rest of the surfers in the final. The win also reassures him of making the cut for the championship tour in 2008 as he jumped up to 12th position in the WQS standings. Second was big Aussie ripper Bede Durbidge who had a nice run throughout the event, and third was Australian Joel Parkinson, who had a sick barrel in the semis to advance and probably caught some of the biggest set waves of the event.

Rounding out the top four was another Hawaiian, Sean Moody, who was ripping hard, too. It looks like H.B’s Timmy Reyes is back from the knee injury as he was going off but lost out in the semis, along with Aussies Dean Morrison and Jay Thompson. And losing out in the quarterfinals were some big guns: Andy Irons, new world champ Mick Fanning, Taj Burrow and Taylor Knox.

The O’Neill World Cup of Surfing trials have started at Sunset. The surf was in the 6-foot zone, but a hopeful increase is expected. It’s the second event in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, which is led by Powers currently in the points race.

South African Jordy Smith signed a multimillion-dollar deal with O’Neill last month, ending the big speculation of who would get the wonder kid. Smith is the reigning ASP junior champ and is No. 1 in the WQS standings, so he’s on the championship tour next year. Smith already did some damage at the Boost Mobile at Lower Trestles last summer, taking out some of the top seeds and placing third at J-Bay in 2006.

I just got back from Puerto Escondido, Mexico, from the P.X.M. International Pro-Am at the Mexican Pipeline last week. The surf was small scale, 2- to 4-feet plus compared to what it sometimes gets, but way fun. Some offshore barrels and steep sections were up and down the beach with some super shallow sand bars.

In the grand finale, California’s Eric McHenry proved to be unstoppable with his assortment of airs, alley oops, reverses, and slash’s for the win and $10,000.

I hear Vans was totally stoked with the contest, and next year, it’ll be a possible three star with double the prize money, $50,000 — whoa! That’s it for now, a sun-tanned Fig, over and out.

RICK FIGNETTI is a 10-time West Coast champion and a longtime KROQ-FM surfologist. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.