Wet ‘N’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig:

The North Shore of Hawaii has been hot and heavy with big surf and lots of action. The gals just finished up their world championship tour Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach, Oahu, in some 6- to 12-foot-plus surf.

It was amazing as the young up-and-coming crew of girls showed no fear of charging the good-size surf. It was Hawaii’s 17-year-old wild card, Carissa Moore, who caught the biggest bomb sets and worked the rights from the outside all the way across to get the best rides in the final. Moore was being coached by one of Hawaii’s best, former world tour standout Pancho Sullivan, and it showed with her perfect positioning in the shifty lineup.

For her efforts, Moore picked up the $12,000 first-place prize and a lot of respect from her peers. Close behind was Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons, who was ripping too, even scoring a 10 in the semis, and looks to be another big threat in the future. Third place was 21-year-old Australian Stephanie Gilmore, who clinched her third world title by making the final, where she placed third as well, ripping some big turns.

Gilmore had another great season, leading the standings most of the year, and turned it up when the pressure was on. And rounding out the top four spots was Alana Blanchard, the winner of the previous event and Triple Crown points leader, who actually ousted No. 2-ranked Brazilian Silvana Lima in the quarter finals, opening the door for Gilmore to ice it.

Losing in the semis but still having some great rides were Hawaii’s Malia Manuel and Coco Ho, who’s third in the standings now, Melanie Bartels and Aussie Chelsea Hedges. There’s one more to go, as the Billabong Pro Maui from Tuesday to Dec. 20 will be the last World Championship Tour of the season.

In the men’s O’Neill World Cup at Sunset, in way overhead surf again, some of the early standouts included former world champ Sunny Garcia throwing mean power snaps on some mackers, fellow world champ Andy Irons getting some sick, gouging cut backs, the winner of the last event, Joel Centeio, going off again, veteran Shane Beschen throwing some clean lines, hot local Mason Ho ripping and new schooler from Santa Cruz Nat Young throwing some back side slashes.

Losing out in the Round of 96 were Huntington Beach’s Brad Ettinger, Ventura’s Nathaniel “Nate Dog” Curran and Floridian Eric Geiselman, to name a few. This is the last World Qualifying Series event of the season, so it’s all on the line.

Will Surf City’s Brett Simpson, go big? I think he already has enough points to qualify for the W.C.T. next year. More good-size northwest swell is forecasted, and look for contest Director Randy Rarick to run on the cleanest, biggest days.

The local mountains got a boost by Mother Nature on Friday night and Saturday, picking up a foot and a half of new snow. Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, Snow Valley and Mountain High are open anywhere from 1- to 2-foot base depths.

The snow guns were on too, and they have a machine-groomed packed powder surface with some icy spots. I heard it was a little on the packed side on the slopes over the holiday weekend, but fun, fun, fun!

See you in the lineup. 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.