Some bright spots at Sunset

RICK FIGNETTI

Over on the North Shore in Hawaii, they finished off the O’Neill

World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. The surf was not the big stuff

they usually get this time of year -- 3 to 5 feet -- but still

rippable for the top pros, in the last world qualifying series event

of the year.

Three-time world champ, 26-year-old Andy Irons took his first

win at Sunset with an amazing, left-hand barrel ride that scored

big for the disappearing act -- an 8.67 outta 10 possible. Sunset’s

known mostly for it’s big, long, workable rights, but it was small

enough to have some dredging lefts into the shallows of the reef

point. Veteran Australian surfer Mark Occhilupo slashed his way to

second, while North Shore local, Freddy Boy Pattachia, ripped to

third and Aussie New Guard, Joel Parkinson, to fourth. With the final

placing, Pattachia secured a spot on the elite world championship

tour, as did local Huntington Beach ripper Timmy Reyes! Reyes was

charging Sunset, and in the quarter finals posted a two-wave score of

18.07. That’s like averaging nines a wave, the highest point total of

the contest. Reyes lost a close one to “Occy” and Irons in the semis,

placing equal fifth and capping a premier season.

Reyes also picked up the “Rookie of the Year” award, which is for

the best newcomer to the Triple Crown. The start of the 2004 season

saw him blow up over in Oz -- opening some eyes -- in the finals at

Trestles, at the Surf Bout, making the semis at the six-star U.S.

Open of Surfing here in Huntington Beach and wins on the East Coast.

He made another big final placing in Brazil, then a strong finish in

Hawaii, to name a few. Congrats!

The International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame held the fifth-

annual induction ceremonies last weekend at Doheny State Beach.

The new inductees included legends such as Hobie Alter, Joe Quigg,

Carl Ekstrom, Greg Noll and the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku.

It was a classic event that saw Surf City’s Bob Bolen, “The

Greek,” narrating with co-emcee, host, Surf City’s Mickey “Rat”

Ester. The Greek was a previous inductee in the Hall of Fame for his

fine shapes over the years. Other dignitaries attending were one of

Huntington’s first big-time shapers, Gordon “Gordie” Duane, the

ever-famous Dale Velzy, and craftsman Bill Holden. Others included:

surfing legends, Paul Strauch Jr., Huntington Beach’s Chuck Linnen,

San Clemente’s Jackie Baxter, Huntington standout

over the years John “Frog” Van Offlen and members of the Long

Board Collector’s Club and founding member of the Surfing Heritage

Foundation Dick Metz. Hobie Alter Jr. and Sr. were also seen having a

good time.

At 10 a.m. on Friday in front of Huntington Surf and Sport, at 300

Pacific Coast Highway, will be the induction of one of the legends in

the Surfing World: Martial Arts, Hawaiian Priest and King, David

Nuuhiwa Sr.. Nuuhiwa has been a fixture in the surf scene forever.

His son David Jr. was world surfing champ back in the ‘60s. A

touching sight is seeing Nuuhiwa Sr. blessing the U.S. Open Contest

site before the event starts every year, in his Hawaiian Priest suit,

making sure no one gets hurt out there in the water. It’s a classic

ritual. He’s helped many a surfer -- when injured, too -- with advice

and therapy.

“Pops” Nuuhiwa will deservingly get his legendary prints in

concrete at Huntington Surf and Sport along with some of the other

greats in our surf culture.

That’s it for now. See ya.

* RICK FIGNETTI is an nine-time West Coast champion, has

announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 11 years and has been the

KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf

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

(714) 536-1058.