WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

The ASP world championship tour is going full bore over in Europe as they just concluded the Quiksilver Pro France last week and are now in Spain at Mundaka for the Billabong Pro.

Eight-time world champ Kelly Slater made another final but just came up a hair short to Aussie Ace Buchan, 15.74 to 15.16. Slater needed only a mid-range seven score to win but could not find the needed wave as time ran out. If Slater would have won it, it would’ve wrapped up title No. 9; but the race is still on, as he has a 1,800-point-plus lead. Buchan, ripped heat after heat, not pulling any giant scores but winning, all, on the way, taking them one at a time to capture his first C.T. victory.

Buchan took out East Coast ripper Damien Hobgood in the semis while Slater beat the hard charging Brazilian Adriano De Souza, who moved up to No. 4 in the current standings, finishing equal third.

Other notables to the quarterfinals were Santa Barbara’s Bobby Martinez, Ventura’s Dane Reynolds, who had quite an event defeating Taj Burrow, No. 2 in the world, in Round 4 and the much anticipated Dane vs. South African Jordy Smith match-up in Round 3, for the battle of the hot rookies.

Another biggy heat was brothers Hobgood, C.J. vs Damien, which Damo won by a slim less-than-a-quarter-point. And there sure were allotta big upsets for the big seeds in the early rounds, that was France.

On to Mundaka, the ninth of 11 stops, that killer, fickle world class left, that needs the right swell and tide to go off.

I hear they are expecting something rolling in soon, as the waiting period started Tuesday and will run to Oct. 12.

An alternative site has been picked just in case it doesn’t happen: That’s Sopelana, which will pick up a variety of swells and angles. Some heavy hitting heats coming up, like in seven, Huntington Beach’s Timmy Reyes up against “Parko” and “Occy.”

In nine, Slater vs. Carlsbad’s Taylor Knox, and wild card Great Britain surfer Reubyn Ash. And in nine, Taj against Damien, and another wild card Marco San Segundo.

There have been some contestants pulling out, world champ Mick Fanning injured his groin, Aussie Dean Morrison and Brazilian Neco Padaratz are out with injuries too, and Bruce and Andy Irons are out for personal reasons. It could be somebody new coming up with a win!

Some more wild cards, the U.S.’s Gabe Kling and France’s Tim Boal are in as well. Stay tuned for more results, the 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.