WET ‘N’ WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG:

The big show, the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley, went off big time at Lowers last week with overhead rippable surf.

The top 44 and wild cards from the world championship tour took advantage of the killer conditions. As the field narrowed down it set up for an insane showdown with none other that eight-time world champ from the U.S., Kelly Slater, and one of the best freestyle surfers in the world from Australia, Taj Burrow.

Just to pump things up, Bob Hurley from Hurley clothes upped the ante $45,000, so instead of $30,000 prize money it was $75,000, the most ever for a win in surfing history.

When the final started, Taj ripped a wave, with big slashes all the way through to the inside, tried to throw a reverse 360 at the end and almost pulling it, receiving a 9.0 score.

Slater caught a wave for a moderate score, but was behind. Next exchange, Taj found a good size set and again was blazing, surfing super fast, throwing front side lip bashes, tail outs numerous times with a tail slide off the close-out to end the ride, pulling a huge 9.6 score. Whoa, what a pace. Taj had Kelly needing two impossible nine scores with less than half the final remaining.

But then, comeback Kelly answered back with a wave that he threw a big tail slide on the first turn, a couple round house cut backs, three floaters and a mini air for a 9.7 score, closing the gap but still needing something big — at least a 9.

Slater caught another wave with three big hard driving maneuvers, but it was eights or lates, not enough.

Time was running down, a minute to go, Taj out the back holding priority, meaning he had first choice of anything rolling in.

All of a sudden two waves on the horizon, the second looked better, Slater snuck in for the first one, bashed the lip, tail slid the next section, ripped a 360-degree turn off the top, slashed again and followed with two roundos and a switch stance claim, fist up, looking at the judges. The next wave fizzled out the back.

The score read 9.27, the comeback of comebacks. Slater is king again with five wins this season. Slater took out big Bede Durbidge in his semi, that actually Bede could have won, but slipped on a critical section and lost.

Taj took out the French man Jeremy Flores. Notables losing in the quarters were: Ventura’s Dane Reynolds, Santa Barbara’s Bobby Martinez and world champ Mick Fanning.

Huntington Beach’s Brett Simpson, a wild card, lost a close one to Taj in Round 3 where he was leading until the end. Timmy Reyes was put out by Knox who was busting eights all over the place, and San Clemente’s Chris Ward lost to Smith in another tight battle, with great heats in all rounds. Can’t wait until next year. 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.