WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

This year’s R.C.’s Kanvas by Katin Team Challenge presented by Jack’s Surf Shop was all time. The surf was 3- to 6-feet high with some 8-foot sets, and pretty much perfect for most of the event, with no wind and glassy conditions.

This just might have been the best final ever in Surf City history that I can remember and that goes back pretty far, possibly 20 years. Cardiff’s Rob Machado, who just got back from Indo after six months, looked like the surfer to beat, throwing one world-class turn after another throughout the event. In the final, Machado found a barreling left, pulled in, got way back, popped out, and then hit a mean slash to score a perfect 10, putting the pressure on the other surfers early.

H.B’s Brett “Simpo” Simpson was slashing away, trying to keep it close but still needed something big to take the lead. That’s when Simpo found the wave, after a long speed section, he went for air, launched one five feet out, a no hander, landing on the curtain, riding down the face, he pulled it off, taking the lead. Seal Beach’s Chris Waring was comboed, needing a big score too, so he went for a huge air 360 reverse and pulled it, dazzling the crowd and winning the Mike Morgan award for his efforts, and placing third.

Another H.B. local, Jesse Evans, was ripping too, almost making a sick barrel before Machado’s that cost him dearly, ending up fourth. Last wave, 30 seconds remaining, an overhead pier bowl bomb set rolls in with Machado in the spot, and only needing a mid-eight score, which is easy for him. He drops in with a big bottom turn, knives the first turn in the pocket, drives off the bottom again, and going back up the face, hits a weird chop and uncharacteristically falls off.

Simpo holds on and wins. Machado and Simpo, both riding for Hurley, along with Brad Ettinger and Brandon Guilmette, took the team title, by storm. Waring and the boys for the Reef team — Austin Ware, Nick Rozsa and Mike Losness — took the second team spot. And locals who were going off all event Evans, Micah Byrne, Brandon Tipton and Teddy Navarro surfed for Darkride to take third overall team.

The semis saw equal fifth Guilmette and Losness tearing and equal seventh Byrne and Ettinger ripping too. While honorable mention, losing in the quarters was Ryan Carlson with a hot corrupt flip air, the second raddest move of the event. Can’t wait till next year!

Three-time world champ Andy Irons is taking the 2009 ASP season off.

He was physically and mentally drained halfway through the year and needed a break.

He’s already been offered the wild card spot for 2010, although he might do a selective few Billabong events this year at Tahiti and Pipe.

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.