WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

The Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley blew up at lower Trestles last Saturday for the finals. The weather was the typical Indian summer day, still hot and glassy, and the big news was the southwest swell hit, offering up killer waves in the 3- to 6-foot zone.

It was rippable for the big guns who were left by the end. But no one was ripping harder than eight-time world champ Kelly Slater who was on fire. Slater met up with the big Hawaiian Pancho Sullivan in the final, who’s in the over 200-pound club, but was looking sharp throughout the event even in the smaller surf. The final didn’t really see that many sets, as both surfers worked the ones they got. Slater tore the rights, and even the smaller ones to pull big scores.

Pancho the “Power Master” was in the running till the end, only needing around a 7-point score, slashing a couple lefts, but he came up short under pressure. The victory gave Slater the most wins ever, 34 on the WCT, eclipsing Tom Curren’s mark of 33 that lasted 16 years.

Slater ousted Aussie Tom Whitaker in the semis, averaging almost-8s a wave, but the heat of the event was in the quarterfinals with Taylor Knox. Both surfers took advantage of nonstop set action as wave after wave poured in. “Slates” was going berserk, ripping the rights with high-speed slashes and gouges, floaters and even a carving 360, to get a 9.73-score and three waves in the 8 zone that were unbelievable.

Knox started strong, too, but fell a few times, then toward the end on a killer overhead wave he threw about five insane slashes the judges loved and scored the only perfect 10 of the contest. But as good as Knox surfed, the door shut with Slater moving on!

There were some huge upsets, the wild cards tore it up and Ventura’s rad man Dane Reynolds took out Taj Burrow, who was No. 2 in the world in his second match-up, and then he toppled No. 1 in the world Mick Fanning in round three in one of the biggest heats of the event.

Fanning was tearing the lefts, throwing straight ups but Reynolds’ first wave, a right, was mind boggling, starting with two huge tail-sliding slash cutties and other moves to the inside that scored an upper 9-point ride to really put the pressure on Fanning. Then he pulled off an air-reverse 360 and tail-out air hanger, to pull the biggest upset of the contest.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Jordy Smith did the same thing, taking out “Parko” Joel Parkinson in a squeaker, then three-time world champ Andy Irons in his next heat, going airborne ballistic, as most of the top 10 in the standings were eliminated incredibly by round three, shocking everyone — surfers and spectators alike.

Could be a few shake-ups next year when these two will be on board for all contests next season. The ratings after the Boost still see Fanning out front, with 5,270, but Slater rockets up to No. 2 with 5,040 points, cutting the gap to 230 points. Slater could be warming up for world title No. 9.

Taj is third, Irons fourth, Parko fifth, and Damien Hobgood sixth. Hobgood, by the way, didn’t surf this last one. He was out with a knee injury. Last year’s winner, Bede Durbidge, is seventh, and Pancho moves up to eighth.

Jeremy Flores, the French man, who made the semis here, is now ninth and the “Dingo,” Dean Morrison, is in 10th place. Next up, the Quiksilver Pro France, Sept. 20 to 30. The official close of summer is this Saturday, as the autumnal equinox starts; fall is almost here. See ya’, Fig over and out.