Wet ‘N’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig:

History in the making, as the 2009 six-star Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing will probably go down in the history books as the biggest and best surf contest of the last 50 years.

In the men’s division, 24-year-old local Brett Simpson made the final, surfing extremely well through all his elimination heats, taking down some big names. “Simpo” started strong right off the hooter, getting a good left, ripping it up, while former world champ Mick Fanning caught a nice wave to keep it close. Simpson found a good right that lined up, working it with a series of cutbacks for a better-than-moderate score, but it was a wave that he went for — an air reverse 360 that he landed — that impressed the judges the most, and they gave him a huge 9.10 score and the solid lead.

Fanning tried to answer back with a killer right with a tail slide but couldn’t get the connection, and that proved to be fatal. So the final buzzer blew, marking it the first time any surfer from Huntington Beach has won a U.S. Open title. Simpson did it with style, winning the biggest first-place prize, $100,000, taking out No. 2 in the world C.J. Hobgood in the semis, and defeating defending champ Nathaniel Curran in the quarters. Fanning beat Brazilian No. 3 in the world Adriano de Souza in the semis and hot Tahitian Michel Bourez in the quarters.

Nine-time world champ Kelly Slater racked a perfect 10 score on a giant 15-foot left. “Slates” also blew everyone’s mind pulling a carving 360 on a good size right in an earlier round heat, the impossible.

In the Hurley U.S. Open women’s, another local, Courtney Conlogue, showed no fear of the bigger set waves, racking one turn after another. That go-for-it attitude gave her the win over last year’s champ, Hawaiian Malia Manuel. The 16-year-old Courtney posted a 9.0 and an 8.17 to steal the show and win the upgraded $10,000 prize.

In the Nike 6.0 Pro Juniors, the world junior champ, Hawaiian Kai Barger, was throwing some big power turns and sprays at the southern end of the contest site to take the victory. Fellow islander Tonino Benson placed second with some ripping lefts, while Malibu’s Dillon Perillo came in third and hot goofy footer from Santa Cruz Nat Young rounded out the top four.

In the Junior Gals, Malia took the title on a last-minute wave to edge Ventura’s Sage Erickson, who was winning most of the final. Both gals were slashing away on some rights and lefts. Hawaiians Carissa Moore and Alana Blanchard were third and fourth, respectively, for the new up-and-coming talent.

So big surf, world’s best surfers, killer weather, most first-place prize money ever and record attendance — definitely A+. That’s it for now.

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.