Around the world and back in Surf City

RICK FIGNETTI

The 2005 surf scene is getting into full swing -- around the world,

up and down the West Coast, and right here in Surf City.

They just finished up the World Championship Tour’s Rip Curl Pro

in Australia. For the first time in the 33 years of the legendary

surf contest, the waves were too bad at Bells Beach to hold it there.

The event was moved 100 miles away to Phillip Island’s Woolamai Beach

for favorable surf.

Taking advantage was Trent Munro, a 26-year-old Aussie from New

South Wales, who had his best surfing on tour in four years to claim

his first Tour win and a $30,000 paycheck. It was a seesaw battle

back and forth for the lead with world champ Andy Irons, who was

tearing it up as well, but Munro went off at the end to seal the

victory.

Munro took out veteran Aussie Danny Wills in the semis and a

fired-up Taj Burrow in the quarters. Meanwhile, Irons had to stop

Mick Fanning, winner of the last event, in the round of sixteen,

along with two East Coasters who were on fire, Damien Hobgood in the

quarters and Cory Lopez in the semis.

The early ratings have Munro first, Fanning second and Irons third

as the boys head to Tahiti next month.

The National Surf League starts the season this week at Steamer

Lane in Santa Cruz, where there has been overhead surf and water

temps, chilly willy, in the low 50s. Five teams will battle it out in

the surfing team format -- the Ventura Pelicanos, the Santa Cruz

Stormriders, the Los Angeles Arc Angels, the San Diego Sea Lions and

the Orange County Octopus in the first of a five-event series surf

out.

The “Game,” thought up by former H.B. resident Brad “Gerr”

Gerlach, will have four quarters, with the highest point totals

winning -- with coaches, 20-member teams, referees, timeouts and

more. The other scheduled dates are: Leo Carrillo, April 13 to 17;

Oceanside Pier, April 20 to 24; Ventura’s C-Street, May 4 to 8; and

here at Huntington Pier, May 11 to 15.

Top-ranked surfers such as World Championship Tour star Taylor

Knox and the “Mobster” Rob Machado (both for San Diego) are scheduled

to surf, along with air-buster Tim Curran and three-time world champ

Tom Curren for Ventura. The “Rat Boy” Jason Collins is surfing for

Santa Cruz. I also heard the possibility of six-time world champ

Kelly Slater surfing for L.A., where he resides occasionally.

New World Championship Tour rippers Chris Ward from San Clemente

and H.B.’s Timmy Reyes will surf for defending champions Orange

County!

This weekend also marks the start of the 11th annual H.B. Surf

Series, with an event at the Huntington Pier. The series has more

than $20,000 in cash and prizes to give away.

The president of the H.B. Surf Series, former top-30 world-tour

standout Jeff Deffenbaugh has put together some great competition

with nine divisions, plus a pro division. Deffenbaugh said

up-and-comers with good surfing ability can compete, have fun and

have an opportunity to put some money back into their pockets in the

pro series.

Other dates include May 7 to 8 at Ninth Street, June 11 to 12 at

the Pier, July 8 to 10 at the Pier, Aug. 13 to 14 at Golden West

Street, and Sept. 10 to 11 at the H.B. Pier to end the 2005 season.

Coming soon, Big Red Productions is hosting the world premiere of

“Drive Thru Europe,” a new, hot, surf flick. It’s a comedy-style surf

trip through Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, with Benji Weatherly,

Pat O’Connell, Kelly Slater and more. Good surfing and a few laughs.

That’s at the Surf Theatre on April 14 in the Pierside Pavilion at

7 and 9 p.m. with a live band and prizes too!

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, providing morning surf

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

(714) 536-1058.