Wet ‘N’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig:

The boys at the Rip Curl Pro Search in Peniche, Portugal, ran into some big-time surf the day before the finals. It was pumping 6 to 10 feet high with 12-foot-plus sets, jacking and throwing out, with some makeables and some close-outs — setting up for some heavy barrels, broken boards, nasty wipeouts and even some injuries.

Huntington Beach’s Timmy Reyes was getting some mean shacks, but ended up losing in the quarterfinals, as did Santa Barbara’s Bobby Martinez, who caught a giant bomb set left, getting way tubed, but got swatted by the lip as he came out. South Africa’s Jordy Smith was throwing some killer man turns and East Coaster Damien Hobgood was pulling in, but both also lost in the quarters.

The surf dropped immensely the last day with four heats to go. Wild card Aussie Owen Wright, who took down nine-time world champ Kelly Slater in round two, busted his ear drum on the big day and couldn’t surf his semifinal against Mick Fanning. And power surfer Australian Bede Durbidge ousted Joel Parkinson in the other semi, setting up the final. Fanning, again slashing away, made this his third win in the last four events. Fanning won the Search in 2005 at Reunion Island and scored another victory. The ratings race is still on at Pipeline, Hawaii, but if Fanning gets second or better, it’s over.

If Fanning chokes, Parko needs a third-place finish or higher at Pipeline to win. The pressure’s on!

The $145,000, six-star O’Neill Cold Water Classic started at Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, on Monday in some fun 2- to 4-foot surf. A couple of the big boys who are O’Neill team riders will be back from Europe to surf it, like Smith, ranked 10th in the world; Reyes, who moved up to a respectable 26th position; and top 30 standout Hawaiian Roy Powers; plus former three-time world champ Tom Curren, Florida rippa Cory Lopez, local standouts Jason “Ratboy� Collins and 2008 winner Nat Young, who has a wicked backside attack. Huntington Beach’s finest, Brett Simpson, who is currently rated No. 6 on the World Qualifying Series, just got back from Canada and will be there, along with other Surf City hotties Chris Waring, who almost won it last year, former finalist Shaun Ward and the ever-tearing Brad Ettinger and Micah Byrne.

The Chris Hawk paddle-out was attended by more than 300 surfers, who met on the north side of the pier to celebrate his life and show last respects to the legendary shaper who passed away recently.

For you snowboarders and skiers, locally, Mountain High has opened up for the 2009-10 snow season with a foot of man-made snow.

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.