Wet and Wild with Rockin’ Fig:Hit the Bank of the West games

Surf City’s getting ready to kick off the big Bank of the West Beach Games at the Huntington Pier, so it’s 10 days of fun in the sun starting Friday going till Sunday’s finals July 30.

Part of the games will be the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing, with the Honda Men’s and Women’s Open, the O’Neill Long boarding, the Lost Pro Juniors, and the Target Junior Women’s, thus five big-time divisions.

More than 500 surfers will compete from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and as far away as Japan. This is the largest world-qualifying series event on the mainland ? a six-star ? so it’s worth valuable points along with a big purse of prize money. The big names are infor the men’s, like top three in the world, on the A.S.P. championship tour. There’s Bobby Martinez, top-six shredder Damien Hobgood and his world champ brother C.J., plus H.B. home boy, ripping it up, top-10 in the standings. And Timmy Reyes just might bring the win home with his local knowledge and fan support.

Other hotties include Australia’s Troy Brooks, Trent Munro, “the Dingo” Dean Morrison, and Jake “the Snake” Patterson, Hawaiian Freddy Boy Pattachia, and former winners Shea Lopez and U.S. champ Rob Machado. And we can’t forget about top W.Q.S. star and H.B. Pier local, “the air bustin” Brett Simpson, who’s a big threat, too.

In the women’s, former world champ from Peru, Sofia Mulanovich, will be hard to beat, along with Hawaiians Rochelle Ballard and Melanie Bartels, plus Aussie rippers Rebecca Woods and Serena Brook, last year’s winner Carlsbad’s Julia Christian and Palos Verdes’ Holly Beck. And local gals, Jodie Nelson and Allison Arvizu have a shot at it, too.

In the long boards, top names like I.B.’s Taylor Jensen and the “G.G, man” Grant Gold will mix it up, fancy footwork and modern-progressive style, plus local H.B. stand out Josh Mohr is ready to take a win in home waters.

In the juniors, the Hawaiians have some pretty solid talent, with Clay Marzo, a former National champ; and the North Shore’s Mason Ho; with the West Coast rippers looking pretty good, too. The South Bay’s explosive Alex Gray, high school champ Tanner Gudauskas and Seal Beach’s Chris Waring, who’s been blowing up at the pier recently, plus Eric Geiselman, the East Coast sensation who won three junior events this year.

In the gals, U.S. team standout East Coaster Karina Pertoni is entered and a favorite, but the Hawaiians Bethany Hamilton and Co Co Ho have been surfing well;so have Newport’s Erica Hosseini and H.B.’s Sara Taylor, who’s ready to rock the south side.

Besides the surf contest, there will be BMX riding with top riders Matt Hoffman and Keven Robinson ready to go large, and the Soul Bowl skating will be entertaining, with top names like Tony Magnusson, Brian Patch and Omar Hassan ready to tear it up and freestyle motocross on the sand, with “the Man,” Brian Deegan, and the fearless Jeff Tilton ready to bust it out.

Also, volleyball stars Steve Timmons, Brian Lewis, Patty Dodd and Gabrielle Reese, to name a few, will play some games on the beach.

And the Miss Teen Vogue Fashion Show will feature all the new hottest 2006 fashions. Wow! All this, for the price of admission, which is free.

Next week, watch out for the Surfing Walk of Fame inductions at 10 a.m. July 27 in front of Jacks Surf Shop, Micky Munoz, Layne Beachley, Bob “the Greek” Bolen, L.J. Richards, Flippy and Walter Hoffman and Jan Gaffney. Then at 10 a.m. July 28 the Surfers Hall of Fame inductions will be in front of Huntington Surf and Sport, with Bob Hurley, Rob Machado, Layne Beachley and Greg Noll ? be there or be square.

Hope to see ya’ at the Open. The Figster will be doing the play-by-play with former top pro Ryan Simmons, so come on down! hbi-fignetti-CPhotoInfo621T2PUP20060720gzcyaukeCredit: Caption: (LA)