WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

Huntington Beach’s Shaun Ward is following the Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series and just recently took out a big win, way down south in Brazil.

It was at the five-star surfing contest at Guaruja, Sao Paulo, in some fun surf that Ward held off the hard-charging local Brazilian contingency for the victory to pocket $12,000. Ward rocketed up the w.q.s. points ratings from No. 77 to a top 30 position.

This marks the second big win for Ward recently. He has been making a few tough finals over the last couple years. In the battle of the w.q.s. ratings Brazil’s Hizunome Bettero is first followed by Californian ripper from San Clemente’s Pat Gudauskas second. Another Cali shredder, Austin Ware, is third followed by Ventura’s Nathaniel “Nate Dog” Curran sixth, Hawaiian former world champ Sunny Garcia, trying to requalify at eighth, and Surf City’s Brett Simpson rounding out the top 10 placings.

There are some more big events in South Africa, then the boys will be back to home turf for the six-star U.S. Open of Surfing starting in less than two weeks right here at the pier.

Meanwhile at the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure surf contest on the southside a week ago, the Aussies took it in full force. Julian Wilson led the charge, blistering, to a more than two wave total of 16 points in the final. Fellow Australian Stuart Kennedy was second, and third was another hot Aussie Chris Salisbury. The lone American was Andrew Doheny finishing fourth but just off his second in a row N.S.S.A. National Championship’s win a few days earlier at Lower Trestles.

The junior ratings see Ventura’s Cory Arrambide first, East Coasters Travis Beckmann and Blake Jones second and third and Doheny moves up to fourth. The World Championship Tour is heading to J-Bay until July 20 for the Billabong Pro. If eight-time world champ Kelly Slater wins, he has three wins, already, outta the last four events, and you can pretty much pencil him in as the new world champ.

If the “Raging Bull” Occy is a wild card that could mean upset for a potential high seed. Can the “Speedster” Mick Fanning find his form again? He did win there last year. Huntington’s great white hope Timmy Reyes excels at point breaks with down the line speed.

Rookies Ventura’s Dane Reynolds and South Africa’s Jordie Smith could wreak some havoc on the top 44. Lots of sea life at J-Bay, dolphins, whales, and even sharks seem to migrate into the bay every morning. That had to have been the biggest crowds on the Fourth that I’ve ever seen at our beaches, but everyone was having fun, surfing, boogie boarding, bike riding, barbecuing, sun bathing, relaxing and just plain hanging out! See ya! Figster 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.