WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

It’s finally here: The “Big Show” the $200,000 six-star Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill starts Friday and goes till July 27 at Huntington Pier.

More than 500 of the world’s best surfers will compete in the largest surf contest in the world. Surfers will be flying in from Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, and South Africa plus some of the United State’s finest talent will join them trying to take the prestigious U.S. Open title.

There will be mens, womens, juniors, and long board in the surfing, plus in the beach games, there will also be skate, BMX and FMX.

There will be a surf village with lots of booths and giveaways. The Teen Vogue Fashion show will be happening as well as the concert stage, with bands like The Donnas, playing July 25, and the Rebelution, playing July 26.

Some big guns in the men’s to watch for are top 20 world stand-outs, the U.S.’s Taylor Knox just back from J-Bay, Chris “Air” Ward, Surf City slasher Timmy Reyes, Aussie “Power Master” Mick Campbell, Brazil “Speedster” Adriano De Souza and Hawaiian Big Boy Roy Powers. Plus former world champ trying to requalify Sunny Garcia is on a roll lately, former winner Corey Lopez, Cally’s Pat Gudauskas No. 2 in the w.q.s. standings, plus Huntington Beach hotties Brett Simpson, Shaun Ward, Chris Waring and Micah Byrne ready for action.

In the women’s, world champ and last year’s winner Stephanie Gilmore is the favorite, as well as Peru’s Sophia Mulanovich, another former winner. Hot Hawaiians Megan Abubo and Melanie Bartels are here and local stand out Courtney Conlogue made the semis last year.

In juniors, lots of talent, the points leader; Cory Arrambide, East Coaster Travis Beckman, winner of the National’s Nat Young, and runner up Granger Larson should put on quite a show. Can’t forget about Aussie Julian Wilson, just off a win at the pier recently, and locals Bruno Rodriguez, Logan Strook, and Keetin Devine who have been surfing well too. In long boards, No. 1 in the world, Harley Ingleby, is entered.

In the Soul Bowl check out skaters Omar Hassan and Tony Magnusson ready to throw some big ones, BMXers Chad Kagy and Mat “Condor” Hoffman will be going large. So come on down and check it.

A “ROAST” will be put on at 7 p.m. Monday at Luggatti’s Italian restaurant by Big Red Productions and it’s none other than the Figster that they are barbecuing. Former world champ Peter “P.T.” Townend will moderate the All Star roasting line-up that includes: three-time world champ Tom Curren, the Mayor of Main Street Buddy Llamas, U.S. Open contest director Big D, M.D., Pa Pa Chuy, Scotty Waring and more, will dig deep, hopefully not too deep at this once in a life time shot.

See ya there. 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.