Wet ‘N’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig:

The Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series is heading back to the West Coast, right here in Orange County, in San Clemente, for the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro. The five-day event is a four-star surf contest with more than $80,000 in prize money at that classic right and left hand point break, Lower Trestles. Some of the top surfers in the world will join the nation’s best and try to cash in on big bucks and valuable ratings points too.

One hundred and ninety-two surfers are entered and will be ripping up the surf, like world championship tour stars Taylor Knox, who won in ’94 with fast carving turns; c.t.er local boy, Chris Ward, who busts airs and surfs Lowers a lot; the “Fly’n Hawaiian” Freddy Boy Patacchia known for his exciting moves; East Coast speedster Ben Bourgeois; and Brazil’s super quick Adriano De Souza. Plus w.q.s. rippers, San Clemente local Pat Gudauskas holding down an incredible No. 1 in the standings right now, rad man, Hawaii’s T.J. Barron at No. 7, hot Huntington Beach ripper Brett Simpson at No. 8 ready to do some damage, and at No. 9, Oxnard’s Nathaniel “Nate Dog” Curran. Can’t forget about the veterans, San Clemente transplant to Hawaii Shane Beschen a former Top 16 star who has won this numerous times, former world champ Sunny Garcia trying to requalify for the c.t. again this year and Jamie O’Brien (yup, the Pipe winner). This is the first of three events in the Macy’s Trifecta Surf Series starting April 29 going till May 3. The next is the Oakley Newport Pro Sept. 16-21, and the O’Neill Coldwater Classic in Santa Cruz Oct. 21-26 will wrap it up. The last three Macy’s over all winners are in too, Ventura’s Adam Virs 2007, San Clemente’s Nate Yeomans 2006 and Florida’s Asher Nolan 2006. As an incentive, if a surfer wins the three surf contests, which is super tough, he’ll get a bonus of $33,333, or the overall points leader will get $10,000, $3,500 for second and $1,500 for third.

The Surf City contingency is well represented in this one, the winner of the Vans Pro, just recently in Huntington Beach’s Shaun Ward will be trying to make the final again he placed fourth last year, plus other hotties, Micah Byrne, Chris Waring, Michael Hoisington, Brandon Guilmette, and Teddy Navarro, all seeded.

Part of the Nike Lowers Pro will be the Oakley Pro Junior’s with some of the best young up and coming guns.

Australian defending champ Brent Dorrington is looking to repeat his title, Oxnards Nick Rosza the Macy’s overall winner is back, plus U.S. team star, Ventura’s Corey Arrambide and N.S.S.A. rippers Florida’s Adam Wickwire and Blake Jones, Santa Cruz’s Nat Young, and Hawaii’s Sebastian “Sea Bass” Zietz.

Stay tuned for big results right here. Fig 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.