If there’s anyone who has given surfing its voice, it’s Fig.

There’s something about his upbeat tone when he’s on the microphone that keeps the crowd going, exuding that special surf stoke.

Rick “Rockin’ Fig” Fignetti – a Huntington Beach surf shop owner and former KROQ surf forecaster who has been announcing the U.S. Open of Surfing for nearly 20 years – is being

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN SALANOA

honored on Thursday at the Surfing Walk of Fame in front of Jacks Surfboards as a “local hero.” His name will be placed next to a star in cement alongside other influential figures in the surfing community.

Fignetti started in the surf world as a competitor, joining his college team at Orange Coast College in 1979 to earn a national championship, and winning a team world title with the USA Surf Team in France in 1980.

He came to a point where he decided professional surfing wasn’t for him, so he turned to other ventures that would still allow him to stay in the surf industry.

About 26 years ago, he started doing surf forecasts for KROQ, giving surfers a daily dose of Fig in the morning, letting them know whether it was worth paddling out. He did that gig until a few months ago, when KROQ put his forecasts online – causing a backlash in the surfing community.

He opened up his shop, still at the same spot, 20 years ago. Back in those days, the downtown area wasn’t built up, and he was the only shop in the area, at one point even carrying a gun behind the register for fear of being robbed back in the days when Huntington Beach had a rough side.

About the same time, he started doing announcing. Back in the late ‘80s, the people on the microphones were dull, and basically just called people’s names when they were up for their heats.

Fig took a cue from Speedway racing, which he loved to watch because of how the commentary gave a play-by-play of what the racers were doing.

He tried it out, and it worked, giving spectators on the sand a way to understand and get pumped up about what the surfers were doing in the water.

He started announcing for the Bud Surf Tour, NSSA Nationals and more, watching young surfers like Kelly Slater and the Hobgood brothers as they moved up the ranks.

His favorite contest to announce is the U.S. Open of Surfing – there is nothing like having thousands of people laughing at your jokes.

“It’s the fuel of the crowd, there’s nothing like that. It’s a rush,” he said.

His fondest memory was about 10 years ago, when he stumped his long-time friend and announcing partner Mike Morgan – who passed away in 2005 – when a man dubbed “Waterman” went strolling down the sand wearing a bikini.

“Hey Mike, I see one of you’re old girlfriends out there,” Fig said, laughing as he retold the story. “He didn’t have anything to say, he was speechless.”

Surf-wise, his favorite event to narrate was last year’s U.S. Open of Surfing, with so many milestone moments – Kelly Slater’s barrel ride, Andy Irons doing a big floater, and of course, local surfers Brett Simpson and Courtney Conlogue winning the event.

Through the year’s, he’s continued surfing, nabbing 10 West Coast Championships, and he’s come in 2nd place for the USA title three years in a row.

Fig said he’s “stoked” to be recognized, and humbled to join the names on the Surfing Walk of Fame.

“I’m humbled people voted and decided I should be one of those select few,” he said. “It’s great to be recognized by my friends, and my peers I surf with each day, to get some respect in the water.”

For more on this year’s honorees during the Surfing Walk of Fame and Surfers’ Hall of Fame, check out this story here.

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