WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

There were some big surprises at the Billabong Pro at Teahupoo, which concluded last week.

Hardly known Brazilian Bruno Santos, who placed second in the trials, and Tahitian ripper Manoa Drollet, who was a wild card seed, were the final two surfers left at the end. Santos took out world champ Mick Fanning, No. 2 in the standings Taj Burrow and even former world champ C.J. Hobgood in the semifinals. Hobgood was sitting on a 8.67 score, but nothing rolled in for 15 minutes, and he lost on one high-scoring wave.

Meanwhile Drollet beat eight-time world champ and winner of the first two events Kelly Slater in a heat where Slater was trying to get Drollet to use his priority, to go for a wave, and paddled too far, caving it in making Drollet wipe out, thus receiving an interference call. Slater then lost one of his two scores, even though he got a super sick barrel in the end that was 9.83 outta a possible perfect 10, but he was still behind at the horn buzzer. Drollet also took out back side terror Aussie Joel “Parko” Parkinson in the outer semi and was in the final. Not since 1997 has there ever been such an upset.

On the way out to the final, Santos saw the waves were looking pretty darn small, and he borrowed a shorter board off a spectator to ride. He caught the first two mini barrels, pulled in with his small size, barely more than 5 feet tall, and scored the first of two good scoring tubes.

Drollet tried to answer back, squeezing into a couple shacks but eventually ended up second although all the local people were yelling and screaming, pulling for him. Other notes: the USA’s Andy Irons and Bruce Irons made it to the quarterfinals. Surf City’s Timmy Reyes ended up losing a tough heat in Round 4 against eventual winner Santos and also San Clemente’s Chris Ward bowing out there too after charging some sick backside rail grab pits in some earlier rounds, impressing lots. So it’s off to Fiji next for the dream tour.

At the NSSA Western Championships at the Huntington Beach Pier last weekend, the surf for the finals was absolutely ridiculous, 4- to 6-foot with 8-foot sets, peaky, with rippable rights and lefts. Not to mention upper 70s on the beach and glassy conditions, with hardly any wind.

In the big time Open Mens and Open Juniors division finals, San Clemente’s 14-year-old Kolohe Andino went ballistic winning both finals busting a huge air in the men’s and slashing the junior’s final to pieces. And in Open Women’s 15-year-old sensation Courtney Conlogue of Santa Ana was tearing, scoring two waves in the eight zone to win her first Western Championship title.

Have ya been getting shacked with all the surf that’s been happening? I have! 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.