WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

The O’Neill Cold Water Classic up in Santa Cruz lived up to it’s billing as a storm went by, leaving competitors surfing in the rain and some windy conditions.

But by the last day of the event at Steamer Lane it cleaned up 3 to 5 feet right off the point with fun rippable sections and pretty clear skies.

In the hotly contested men’s final, South African Jordy Smith came back toward the end, finding a killer lined up right that he demolished, a couple of big slashes, a reverse-360 and one roundhouse cutback after another to the inside to steal the win, showing why he’s No. 1 in the w.q.s. standings.

Second was local surfer Kieran Horn, the winner in 2003, who was leading most of the way with some nice moves of his own, but almost kinda gave Smith that last wave, without any jockeying, possibly thinking he couldn’t get the score he needed.

Third place was H.B.’s Brett Simpson who was ripping big through all his heats. This result will help his cause as he tries to get on the championship tour earning more points before heading to Hawaii.

While making another final, Santa Cruz local Josh Loya was fourth this year and last year, saying he plans a fourth for next year, too. Jason Rat Boy Collins was equal fifth, and Hawaiian Jessie Merle Jones was equal seventh.

Ventura’s Adam Virs took first overall in the Macy’s-Jeep overall points ratings and won a new Patriot Jeep. Nice! Honorable mention goes out to Surf City’s Shaun Ward, a former finalist who lost in the quarters; Brad Ettinger the Mex winner in round five; and pier ripper Micah Byrne and surfer shaper Ryan Sakal who made it to round four.

In juniors, Santa Cruz’s Nat Young couldn’t be stopped. The 16-year-old was on fire with the crowd on the cliffs pumping him up, bashing the lip, on his backside numerous times with some nice cutbacks too, for the win. Oxnard’s Nick Rozsa was second ripping too, and Florida’s Adam Wickwire was third.

Seal Beach’s Chris Waring made it to the semis, even with a cut on his foot and stitches, suffered in an earlier heat collision with a contestant, and Newport’s Andrew Doheny made it to the quarter-finals. Qualifying for the world junior championships in Australia in January after the yearlong series were, Wickwire, Rozsa, Ventura’s Cory Arrambide and Waring. Top four will go.

On the world tour, at the Billabong Pro at Mundaka, Spain, Bobby Martinez goes two for two, winning last year and coming back again, taking it. The lightning-fast goofy foot took out Mick Fanning, No. 1 in the world, in the semis with some killer lefts. Martinez then beat Taj Burrow in the final again averaging eights a wave to win $30,000. Martinez was the crowd favorite and rockets up to No. 6 in the world standings. Burrow beat Kelly Slater in the other semi as “Slates” was way down the line, having a hard time making the fast peeling left walls. Still Fanning was way out front in the points race with 7,346, Slater with 6,326, and Burrow closes the gap with 6,275 as they head to Brazil next. For a possible shot at the world title, Slater needs to win and Fanning needs to get no better than a fifth. The race is still on. Will Fanning be the world champ and clinch it in South America? Can Kelly come back and win an incredible nine titles or will Taj come from behind?

U.S. Championships at H.B. Pier start Monday.

Fig 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.