WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

It was like an early Fourth of July as the NSSA National Championships at Lower Trestles went off with a big bang!

Peaks with rippable rights and lefts were dealt out to the nation’s finest. In the big time California State Governor’s Cup Open Men’s final, Santa Cruz’s Nat Young, the hot goofy footer, caught an insane right blowing up numerous times, straight up for an almost perfect score of 9.5.

But Hawaiian Granger Larsen, the standout of the contest, was going off too. He destroyed some rights getting some eights or lates scores to hold the lead.

But Young finally found that wave, racking the moves, an eight score to seal the deal to take the National Open Title.

In the open women’s Governor’s Cup finals Orange County’s Courtney Conlogue caught a big right, speed lined some turns, then it started closing out, and instead of straightening out, she hit that section full throttle and with the explosion of white water pulled it off, amazingly, for a big score that helped her clinch her title.

In open juniors’ Newport Beach’s Andrew Doheny won again, back-to-back wins, two years in a row with some tail out moves.

In the open boys’ Hawaiian Koa Smith nailed a perfect 10, on a forehand, double grab air, lay back tail slide and a couple mean slashs to finish it for the win and also took the title in explorer menehunes too.

In open mini groms, Hawaiian’s Kalani David and Imai Devault were ripping hard for first and second, but Huntington Beach’s Kanoa Igarashi was right there and would’ve placed higher but got an interference call early and finished third, killing it too.

In explorer boys, another Hawaiian “Power Master” Keanu Asing won his first national title going for broke on some of those wedgy lefts. Granger Larsen was amazing in explorer juniors and men’s, throwing some big fans of water, racking the highest scores, for victories in both divisions.

Masters saw San Diego’s Tim Senneff surfing down, two division’s and winning, and big Chad Logan also icing the win in seniors.

Super Seniors was dominated by Robert Weiner, who caught all the sets; the Figster pulled into fifth place in a tough-fought close battle. And Cole Robbins from the south west conference took both open and explorer long board wins with some very modern progressive moves. Also, Leila Hurst slashed to victory in explorer girl’s and women’s to double up.

UC Santa Barbara won college; Surf City’s Keetin Devine, shredding those lefts, placed third for Mira Costa; plus Huntington Beach’s Marty Weinstein placed fourth for UC San Diego surfing great at Salt Creek.

Have a safe and sane Fourth, see ya at the parade on Main Street. Figgy 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.