Wet and Wild with Rockin’ Fig:Upstart lowers the boom on Slater

The big week of world-class surfing action is over at Lowers as the Boost Mobile Pro of Surfing presented by Hurley finished up last Saturday. And what a week it was, starting with some south west swell action that gave the surfers some fun stuff to work with all week long.

Ranging from waist high to a couple feet overhead plus on the “mo bigga” days with rippable longer rights and steeper shorter lefts. Lowers is the kind of wave that’s like a skate park where the surfers can bust all the moves — heavy turns, airs, roundos and even more futuristic stuff.

It’s a more playful wave than say a wave like Teahupoo, which is dangerous breaking over a sharp reef that has consequences if you don’t make it.

Making it to the final was none other than seven-time world champ and defending event winner Kelly Slater. Slater was on a roll. His forehand moves were precise, he was surfing fast and radical heat after heat, racking up some wins.

Slater met up with Joel Parkinson in the quarters, which was a key match up as “Parko” was probably the best surfer until then, with the highest scoring waves of the event, but he met his fate with the world champ.

Slater then met up with the “Dingo,” Dean Morrison next in the semis and pretty much demolished him, heading toward the finals again.

On the other side of the draw was a young Aussie, Bede Durbidge, only on the tour for the last couple years.

Bede took out three-time world champ Andy Irons in round four, local stand out Chris Ward in the quarters, then blew the door open to the final with a decisive win over a stunned Taj Burrow in the semis.

The largest crowd ever at Lowers was looking for a rematch of Slates and Burrow — but not this time.

By the final conditions had deteriorated quite a bit. It was pretty tough, super-windy conditions, pretty blown out and broken up with lots of waves that didn’t offer too much. Both surfers were going for it but were falling quite a bit. Bede found a right that held up and he blasted off the top four or five times to rack up a solid score.

Kelly had a couple exchanges too but never really got the wave he needed. Bede got another left for a moderate score and that shut the door as he scored the big upset win.

Placing equal fifth was Australian Mick Fanning, the “Speedster,” and veteran Brazilian Victor Ribas.

Huntington home boy Timmy Reyes was on fire the whole surf contest and lost to “Parko” in round four in a close battle. Reyes was surfing super impressively and almost came back and won that heat in a battle of the up-and-comers.

The current world tour standings: Slater solidly in first with 6,141 points; Taj second with 5,558; A.I. in third with 4,965; Bobby Martinez in fourth with 4,643; Taylor Knox in fifth with 4,470; Parko in sixth; Damien Hobgood in seventh; Fanning in eighth; Reyes in ninth; and Bede in 10th.

This Saturday at the Hope Chapel is 2nd annual Surf Night. It should be fun with the band Olivia playing and guest speakers including Surf City pros Brad Ettinger and Brandon Guilmette on hand.

There will be free food and lots of goods to be given away in a free raffle. That’s Lake Street and Indianapolis Avenue in H.B., starting at 6 p.m.