A new big-wave champ

Surf’s up! A huge storm near Japan sent a giant west swell to Hawaii the first part of the week, so big that most of the North Shore was closing out at 30 to 50 feet.

A few spots, such as Waimea Bay, were ridable, and some of the outer reefs were going off big-time, too.

That sent Mavericks contest organizer Jeff Clark scrambling and, with a mere 24 hours’ notice, the call was on. He knew the swell was on its way to the West Coast.

Tuesday was the day of reckoning, with surf of 35 to 40 feet breaking at Mavs in Half Moon Bay. The select few -- 24 invited surfers -- started their heats at 8 a.m.

Some of the early casualties included former winners Anthony Tasnick and Darryl “Flea” Virosko, knocked out in round one.

As the day rolled on, it was a classic setting -- huge surf, sunny skies, air temps in the 70s and light winds. By far the largest crowd ever, estimated at 50,000, lined the cliffs.

The finals started at 1:30 p.m., and it looks like a new big-wave star was born: Grant Baker, 32, charged those monstrous rights, claiming the victory, the first place check for $30,000 and the prestigious Jay Moriarty award.

Second was Santa Cruz’s Tyler Smith, who caught some bombs, too, and won $10,000. Third was Hawaiian charger Brock Little, while fourth and fifth were locals Matt Ambrose and Grant Washburn. Sixth went to Surfing mag editor Evan Slater, who got the Green House award for the best barrel of the day.

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It’s almost time for pro-surfing, with the World Championship Tour set to start Feb. 28 with the $280,000 Quicksilver Pro on Australia’s Gold Coast, at Snapper Rocks.

It will be followed by the Rip Curl Pro, one of the longest-running surf events, at Bells Beach, Australia, April 11 to 23.

Then it’s over to Tahiti to that super-hollow barreling left at Teahupoo for the Billabong Pro, May 4 to 16.

Then it’s Tavarua, Fiji, for another classic reef break, the Globe C.T., May 21 to June 2.

On the World Qualifying Series, some of the surf contests to note here on the West Coast will be the two-star at H.B., the Vans Pro March 22 to 26, then down to Lower Trestles April 25 to 29 for the four-star Body Glove Surf Bout.

Of course the biggie of the summer will be the six-star, $125,000 U.S. Open of Surfing, part of the Bank of the West Beach Games presented by O’Neill here in Surf City July 22 to 30. That’s it for now. Fig, over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a nine-time West Coast champion and has been the KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 18 years. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.

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