WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

The National Scholastic Surfing Assn. held its Western Championships on the south side of the Huntington Pier Thursday through Sunday.

A nice small scale combo swell kept the action intense as the West’s best surfers battled it out for West Coast titles. Ounce again some of our Surf City’s hot talent pool excelled in home turf. Starting with the little guys, H.B.’s Kainoa Igarashi won two western’s titles and won the overall in explorer menehune’s and open boys as well, pretty incredible stuff. This last season, Igarashi pretty much destroyed the most wins in a season record held by Ventura’s Corey Arrimbede of 21 by winning 30 contests. In menehune’s he had eight wins and boys six wins plus all the other divisions too. In the menehune final, Igarashi carved a 360-degree turn, busted an air on the way to the shorebreak and slashed the last section full speed to score a perfect 10. And in the boys’ final he slashed some big backside turns heading to the pier to earn a 7.5 ride that gave him the multiple victories. Another hottie Pat Curren, son of three-time world champ Tom Curren, was ripping big time and finished runner up in both divisions. In open juniors’, Santa Barbara’s Conner Coffin came from behind, pulling some mean slashes, and an air reverse at the end to seal the win. Igarashi finished third. In explorer men’s, H.B.’s Colton Larson took the overall ratings, winning four events this season. While in the open men’s final, Huntington’s Christian Saenz lost a close battle to Capo’s Luke Davis who busted two airs on one wave. Saenz had some big backside slashes, nailing down some solid scores, which ended in a tie break situation, but losing to Davis who had the higher one single wave score. Saenz did take the tough overall season award, he had three wins including the last double rated event and was the No. 1 seed in the westerns. In women’s Santa Ana’s Courtney Conlogue who calls the H.B. Pier her home break, successfully defended her title, with another win and was the overall points leader, too, winning four events last season. Conlogue was on the U.S. team that went to Equador recently, where she won a silver medal representing the United States. In explorer long board, Mike Gillard of Imperial Beaches had the highest two wave total of the contest with an 18.33. Gillard pulled off a 10 toes nose ride, then busted a 360 helicopter, and a couple cutbacks for a 9.5 ride. His brother Terry finished runner-up, with some nice foot work for the tag team finish. And in open long board, Edison High’s Shaun Tomson had a respectable fourth place showing and a second in the overall standings for the 2008-09 season. Next up the Nationals at Salt Creek and Trestles at the end of June. That’s it for now, Figgy 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.