Wet ‘N’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig:

The Billabong ISA World Surfing Games started in Costa Rica this week at Playa Hermosa.

They started off with the Parade of Nations down the main street with all 34 teams in their uniforms carrying their flags. Teams from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, France, Costa Rica, South Africa, Tahiti, New Zealand, Canada, El Salvador, Chile, Italy, Japan, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and more were walking with pride for their countries.

The president of the ISA, Fernando Aguerre, made a speech saying this contest was like the Olympics for surfing. Then each team put sand from their country into a glass box to show unity. There will be 180 surfers competing. So far the surf has been in the 2- to 4-foot zone, breaking right in front of some rocks with hollow rights and lefts. There is a bump in the swell expected at the end of the week.

The U.S. team is shooting for gold but hasn’t won since 1996. New Coach Ian Cairns has been having some big team workouts and talking team strategies and camaraderie and looks to turn things around. They have a solid team with former championship tour vets such as Cory Lopez and Ben Bourgeois and hot up-and-comers such as Austin Ware and Nat Young.

In women’s, the U.S. is represented by Courtney Conlogue just off a win at the U.S. Open recently and Ventura’s slashing Sage Erickson. In long boarding it’s Tony Silvagni and Steve Newton ready to do the fancy footwork. The Australian’s have won gold four out of the last seven ISA Games, including the last one, and have some great surfers again, like hot goofy footer Mick Campbell in men’s, hot pro females Samantha Cornish and Amee Donohoe in women’s and the stylish Harley Ingleby in longboards.

Hawaii has some big time championship tour surfers, too, in Roy Powers, Joel Centeio and former world champ in longboards Bonga Perkins.

Another tough year with lots of stacked up teams. We’ll see how it goes. Go U.S.!

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.