Wet ‘N’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig:

Over at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship at Piha Beach, New Zealand, last week, in 2- to 4-foot wind-textured surf, the United States team gave its best shot, but came up short.

The Australians, who were in second position going into the last day of the competition, rallied to take the gold by winning two of the three divisions. This makes it an incredible five consecutive ISA World Junior titles for the Aussies, who are tough to beat, showing a wealth of up-and-coming talent every year.

In gals 18 and younger, Australia’s Tyler Wright claimed the gold two years in a row, a feat accomplished only by Assn. of Surfing Professionals world tour champ Stephanie Gilmore.

Wright was in solid form in all her heats, defeating Hawaii’s Alessa Quizon, who placed second, South Africa’s Sarah Baum, who placed third, and American Lakey Peterson, who ended up fourth in the action-packed final.

In the 16-and-younger juniors, 15-year-old Australian Matt Banting took the victory with some nice slashes.

The United States’ high placer was Jake Halstead, who placed an impressive second with some radical cutbacks for the silver medal, as Hawaii’s Koa Smith and Japan’s Hiroti Arai were third and fourth, respectively.

In the juniors, in the 18-and-younger, Brazil’s Gabriel Medina took it to another level, busting multiple big slashes on waves, and had some high flying airs to post a two-wave total of 19.90 out of a possible 20.

He was surfing in the zone, making everything and taking the gold by storm.

The battle for second was won by Aussie Jordi Watson, while Tahiti’s Tamaroa McComb was third and South Africa’s Beyrick De Vries fourth.

So Australia finished first with 6,015 points and the gold medal. Second was Hawaii with 5,038 points for silver, and Team U.S.A., with 4,958 points, took the bronze. South Africa finished fourth, France fifth, Tahiti sixth and hosting country New Zealand seventh.

They had some epic 10- to 15-foot waves in Hawaii for the Volcom Pipeline Pro on the North Shore. Lots of barrels were seen, and winning again was the kid who lives right at Pipeline, Jamie O’Brien, who was getting way deep.

O’Brien has won three Pipeline Pros, one Da Hui Backdoor Shootout at Pipe, and one Billabong Pipeline Masters to make it a grand total of five wins.

He said on the victory stand he wants to win many, many more.

Are you gonna sneak in a surf before the Super Bowl?

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.