Wet and Wild with Rockin Fig

Another great spell of weather caused our local beaches to get pretty

packed again last weekend. Sunny skies and warm air temps had sun

worshipers tanning away. We had that combo swell that had its moments

too. Things are rollin’ as we’re almost to spring break, which is at the

end of the month. And yes, the water is almost at 60 degrees. But, a

storm is forecast to hit, which, will hopefully bring in a new northwest

swell and another shot of snow in our local mountains.

The United States Surfing Federation came to town last Sunday. It was

the eighth event of the season on the championship tour, a five star,

held on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier.

The sand bars on the south side have been producing some of the best

shaped surf lately. So even though the waves were small there were still

a few little shorebreak bashers to be found. Here’s how it went.

Japan to Huntington Beach transplant Taichi Maruyama came in fourth in

the men’s final. In the masters division, Huntington Beach’s Harold

Bessa, one of our hard working city workers, lost a close one in the

semis and placed equal fifth. Seniors division saw a fired up Danny Ray

LeMaster, back off the injured list and in top form to make the final and

place fourth overall, catching some nice ones. James Webb equal fifth,

but top four in the overall ratings.

Grand masters saw Patrick Schlick back to his winning ways with a nice

lip bash on his last wave in the final, pulling a score somewhere in the

eight zone. Figster had a couple nice moves too and finished a close

second. Runner-up in the U.S. last year, surfer and shaper Midget Smith

was third.

In longboarding, Surf City’s Jay Boldt was mixing it up,

some old school, some new school, to place third, while Larry Schlick

rounded out the fourth position.

In junior longboarding, placing second, was style master Cyrus Sutton.

And women’s longboard saw Rachael Bellows of Seal Beach get some nice

nose rides to place third, and fifth was Margo Hamrock, who had some

fancy foot work, too.

In bodyboarding, Jeff Combs rolled his way to third and Larry Schlick

finished up fourth in a close overall ratings battle between them.

Next up is the chilly waters of Santa Cruz. It’s a two-dayer with the

Wahine division April 20 at Pleasure Point and the championship tour at

Steamer Lane on April 21.

Don’t forget the booties ‘cause that waters usually in the low 50.

Burr.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a six-time West Coast champion, has announced the

U.S. Open of Surfing the last eight years and has been the KROQ-FM

(106.7) surfologist for the last 15 years where he’s done morning surf

reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714)

536-1058.