WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

Big surf action is hitting the California coast with the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro at that classic point until Saturday’s finals in San Clemente. Considered one of the most rippable high performance waves in the world, it is definitely a show case for surfing’s finest when it’s on. This year’s event is bigger and better upgraded to a six-star prime, meaning more money, $145,000, and more valuable ratings points, too. The big boys are entered from the ASP world championship tour like 2001 world champ Floridian C.J. Hobgood, who won Lowers in 2002 and 2007, one of the raddest free surfers on the planet, Ventura’s Dane Reynolds, known for busting big airs, and Brazil’s Adriano De Souza just off a second place finish on the CT at Snapper. Plus, the Fly’n Hawaiian Freddy Boy Patacchia, the “Style Master” Taylor Knox who won in ’94, local hottie Chris Ward, and red hot rookies “Nate Dog” Curran, whose brother Timmy won in ’97 and ’99, Tahiti’s Michel Bourez, and Hawaiian’s Kekoa Bacalso and Dustin Barca.

Leading the local charge will be Surf City’s Brett “Simpo” Simpson, already having a great year on the world qualifying series with a couple good results in Oz, Tazmania and Margaret River, and is stoked to have a big event right here. San Clemente’s Pat Gudauskas has surfed Lower’s since he was a little kid and is ready to go off. And veterans like San Clemente’s Shane Beschen who’s in it again, dominated this contest with solid, rad surfing with wins in ’92, ’93, ’96 and 2003. Last year’s winner, Benny “B” Bourgeois, is back.

Some hot wild cards are surfing it up too, Rob Machado who won in ’98 with stylish slashes and cutbacks, world junior champ Kai Barger, and the Coldwater champ youngster from Santa Cruz, Nat Young. Today men’s Round 3 kicks off and juniors’ Rounds 1 and 2, Friday Rounds 4 and 5 and more juniors.

By Saturday, juniors’ quarter-finals starts at 8 a.m., men’s right after that, grand finals juniors’ start at 1 p.m., the men’s final at 1:30.

Some history at Trestles over the years, the California kid Joey Buran won the Stubbies Trials in 1981, total purse of that event was $6,200. San Clemente’s Christian Fletcher won the biggest first place prize on the mainland at Lower’s at the Surfbout, $30,000 back then, busting tons of airs in that ’89 final. Kelly Slater as a kid won his first event there in 1990, showing everyone the new move, the tail slide.

Laguna’s Jeff Booth the “Power Slasher” won in ’91 and ’95 and three-time world champ Tom Curren won there in ’82 and came back and won it again almost 20 years later in 2001. Also three-time world champ “A.I.” Irons won in 2004 with big gaffs and a few airs.

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.