WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN ‘ FIG:

The world championship surfing tour was way down south in Brazil last week for the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Imbituba.

The tour is winding down with the last two events, as surfers are trying to secure their standings for the 2008 season.

Big Aussie Bede Durbidge caught a couple bomb sets in the final to take the win pretty handily over the “French Man” Jeremy Flores.

The victory moved Durbidge up in to the No. 2 spot in the ratings ahead of Australian Taj Burrow and behind newly crowned world champ in Spain at Mundaka, the U.S.’s Kelly Slater. Make that nine world titles now for Slates. That’s incredible.

Flores posted his best career placing with that second, and was victorious over another French surfer, his buddy on tour Miky Picon in the semis.

Durbidge beat Hawaiian ripper Freddy Boy Patacchia in the other semi, and Patacchia took out H.B.’s finest Timmy Reyes in Round 4 action in another close one. Absent from Brazil, no Slater, “A.I” Andy Irons, Pancho Sullivan and out on injuries Mick Fanning, and wonder rookie Dane Reynolds. Hawaii is the next championship tour event at the ever legendary Banzai Pipeline! Get ready for some barrels.

Hawaiian action has already started on the North Shore, the surf was cranking last week with 8- to 12-plus-foot waves, Hawaiian style. They started the $80,000, four-star, Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach and ran a couple days of the event.

This year boasts the 25th year anniversary of the contest at the big wave spot that produces giant rights off the point way out the back, that can get huge. So far in the first three rounds, standouts have included Hawaii’s Joel Centeio, last year’s winner ripping some big ones, Sullivan, staying in home grounds, a three-time winner throwing some mean power turns on some sets and San Clemente transplant to Hawaii Shane Beschen looking good, too.

It looks like they’ll pick up the action again possibly today as a swell is forecast today and Friday.

Former winners include; Michael Ho ’88, ’90, ’91, Sunny Garcia ’92, Kaipo Jaquias ’93, ’95, Andy Irons ’97, Bruce Irons ’99, Fred Patacchia ’02 and’ 04, and Sullivan ’98, ’00 and ’03, to name a few.

Senior Olympics at the H.B. Pier, local Mike Downey took the 50 division getting some nice sets and waves. Bolsa local Pat Schlick pulled into second in the 55 division, racking some turns on some of those lefts, and hot Surf City air brusher Rick Karren busted some moves in the 60 and older for a second place finish, congrats.

That’s it for now.

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.