WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:Surfing season in full swing

The surf scene is going full bore right now, as the first of four big events on Hawaii’s North Shore just started. They’re into round three of the 23rd annual Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach in Oahu, held in 4 to 8 foot-plus surf.

Winning heats and getting some good rights off the point were brother’s Shane and Gavin Beshen, formerly of San Clemente who are now residing there.

Other local standouts winning were: Jamie O’Brien, Raymond Reichele, Love Hodel, Kalani Chapman, Jason Shibata, Jessie Merle Jones and Rainos Hayes, to name a few.

Also getting through his heat was South African Jordy Smith, the winner of the I.S.A. World Surfing Games in Huntington.

Losing out were: Surf City’s Brad Ettinger, Ventura’s Dane Reynolds, San Clemente’s Matt King and Northern California’s Nick Rozsa.

Down south in Brazil, they kicked off the World Championship Tour’s Nova Schin Surf Festival in 2 to 3 foot beach break conditions. It was mostly fun workable rights, to the liking’s of A.I. Andy Irons, “Parko” Joel Parkinson, the “Dingo” Dean Morrison and Florida’s Damien Hobgood, who all took heat wins.

Still to surf are U.S. surfers C.J. Hobgood, Freddy Boy Patacchia and Chris Ward, to name a few.

A couple of big guns pulled out of this event. Kelly Slater left for personal reasons and H.B.’s Timmy Reyes — severe sprained ankle — and the Power Master Pancho Sullivan also decided not to compete.

Up in the chilly waters of Steamer Lane Santa Cruz, the O’Neill Coldwater Classic was held in killer 4 to 8 foot rippable rights off the point.

Australian Toby Martin took a super tight decision, a tenth of a point over Oxnard’s Nathaniel Curran, in the action packed final.

Third was Hawaiian Jessie Merle Jones.

Almost making the final was H.B.’s Timmy Reyes, who went for a super huge floater on a big set and severely sprained his ankle in the semis.

In the junior division, another Aussie captured the crown. Australian junior champ Dion Atkinson was shredding it up and just beat Alex Gray from the South Bay.

Third was East Coast sensation Eric Geiselman..

The big Fig birthday gig went off. It was good to see everyone from all ages of the surf scene, all the boys and gals who came by, plus Joe Wood’s band went Richter. Uh-oh, it’s all over the hill now.

See ya. Fig, over and out.