WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

Coming up next week is one of the longest-running surf events in U.S. history, the Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge on the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier. The waiting period is Jan. 12 to 17, and the contest will be held on the best two days of surf. Last year’s event saw some epic four- to eight-foot surf, and the boys were going off. Local standout Brett Simpson was the winner, edging teammate Rob Machado for the win in the individual competition. Both surfers rode for Hurley, which took first place in team honors.

In the late 1950s, Nancy and Walter Katin made boat covers out of canvas. They took their trade into making board shorts in the 1960s. By the mid-60s and 1970s, their little shop in Surfside was booming. Quality, durability and good looks were what they were about, as they were the hot trunks to wear. In 1977, Nancy started the Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge, where lots of top surfers from around the globe came to surf in the event in Huntington Beach, which started at the Cliffs and later moved to the pier. In 1986, Nancy passed away, but the brand, surf shop and surf contest still continue.

Former winners of the Katin include legends and former world champs Shaun Tomson (1977 and 1981), Martin Potter (1983 and 1986), Tom Curren (1982 and 1987) and Kelly Slater (1994). There were also classic teams like O’Neill, which won the first one anchored by the “Ambassador to Surfing” Tompson. The Bronzed Aussies won a couple times with power-packed teams, once with former world champ “P.T.” Peter Townend, Ian Cairns, Cheyne Horan and Jim Banks in 1979. Victory Wetsuits took it with “M.R.” Mark Richards and Michael Ho in 1980, and most recently, Hurley took it with “Simpo” and “the Mob” in 2009.

Slated to surf this year are defending champ Simpson, who is newly qualified for the world tour, former top 20 world championship tour star Pat O’Connell, former US Open winner Nathaniel Curran, three-time world champ Tom Curren, former WCT standout and ripping Hawaiian Kalani Robb and hot locals Jeff Deffenbaugh, a winner in 1993, Chris Waring, a finalist last year, and the rad Micah Byrne, to name a few — plus teams like Hurley, Fox, Reef, Huntington Beach High School, Rusty, Surfline, Matix and Rip Curl. It should be killer. See you there!

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.