Kelly Slater Adding Pages to His Legacy
Two WCT events. Two finals appearances. Two risky, unconventional moves. Two victories.
The legacy that Kelly Slater will leave behind once he does actually decided to hang it up for good, only continues to grow. Many may wonder if it is actually possible for someone who has dominated his sport the way Slater has for so many years to continue expanding on his legendary status. It is possible, and the first two events of 2008 have shown us why.
It’s not just that Kelly is winning. He ’s been doing that for many many years against a countless number of cdifferent ompetitors who line themselves up and give him their best shot. This year it’s the way that he is winning these events that is simply just mind-blowing.
Facing current world-champ Mick Fanning in the Quiksilver Pro final, Slater had a full deck stacked against him. He was up against a surfer who is on fire and surfing at his home break in front of his home crowd. The ASP judges really seem to be in love with Mick’s style as he was putting up massive numbers throughout the event, many times with variations of the same maneuvers. After taking out Andy Irons in the quarters and Jeremy Flores in the semi’s, Slater was facing his toughest task yet in the hometown favorite. So what does he do? He switches boards, paddles out, and surfs like the champion he is to win at Snapper Rocks for the first time ever.
The stop at Bells brought an even more jaw-dropping victory. After taking down A.I. once again in the quarters and ending Taj Burrow’s bid for a repeat victory at the event in the semis, Slater found himself up against a competitor in Bede Durbidge (who is performing at a level as high as any right now and was a great snag by Mada). And with nine or so minutes left in the final and a solid lead at a break that wasn’t handing out very many scoreable waves, Bede looked to be in a commanding position to ring the bell for the first time of his blossoming career.
That is when it seemed all-to familiar watching that Kelly had simply lost his mind and decided to paddle away on his own. You would think we would all know better than to question this mans judgment, but be honest, you did wonder what the hell he was doing. He was making a move that left the Rip Curl announcers scratching their heads. It looked as though even Bede was trying to figure out what was happening as Slater just simply left Bells and paddled his way up to Rincon.
We all know how the story ends. Around the four minute mark Slater paddles into a wave, launches a massive air, and goes on to ring the bell for his second consecutive victory of 2008. Pretty good for someone who claims he’s not on the tour full-time.
Kelly Slater is a living-legend, and it is a pleasure to watch him. How many other competitors, even aside from surfing, would make similar decisions with championships on the line? What he is accomplishing and the way that he is doing it is unfathomable. He deserves to be considered among the great athletes of all-time, and he continues to add pages to his legacy with every wave.
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Posted by Shaun on Friday, March 28th, 2008 in Surfing.
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March 29th, 2008 at 11:01 am
The final at Bells basically shows a lack of experience on Bede’s part. Leading the heat and having priority, any other competitor would have followed Kelly and just made sure that he didn’t get a wave during this last 2 minutes. Even Kelly admited, after the final, that he had been surprised that Bede let him get this one away. Similar thing for Andy and TB: when they surfed against Kelly in Bells they were psychologically beaten before the heat started. As many insiders of the WCT will agree (and even him), Kelly is not always the best surfer on the WCT, but he is -by far- the best competitor.
Niegà
March 29th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Mentally, Slates is head and shoulders above the rest.I felt the same way about AI and TB going into their respective heats
March 30th, 2008 at 8:51 am
That is why i think the WCT format does not lead to great surfing, but only to great competition. In a different format, where the surfers are not surfing against eacgh other but for themselves, Kelly might not have won 8 1/2 world titles.
Niegà
March 30th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Niega - I agree that the format needs to change to improve the surfing. However, it’s still a competition so there still needs to be some competitive spirit left in there.
On the flip-side - Kelly may have won more than 8 titles… While the guys is undoubtedly one hell of a competitor he’s also one hell of a surfer and you certainly can’t take anything away from him in that department.
March 30th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Obviously he’s one hell of a surfer, and one of the best in the world… but he’s a better competitor than a surfer. Is he so much better than Tom Curren for example? IMO no, but the figures say that Kelly’s twice as good of a surfer as Tom, or actually more than that (8 and counting against 3 world titles).
Niegà
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Niega, you don’tknow what you’re talking about…Non competitors most of the time don’t know what they’re talking about since they never have participated…Try getting 4 waves (NSSA Style) in 15 minutes as an amateur..Now that’s one heat…Now, do that 8 - 10 heats in a contest…Then do that consistently 20 - 30 times a season, and WIN most of the time…now turn pro do that Twenty years all over the world facing different competition from different parts of the planet and still WIN, and yet people like Neiga say you’re a better competitor than a surfer….Yeah, that makes sense
April 4th, 2008 at 6:22 am
I agree with Nolan. It seems to me that competitive surfing is a lot like competitive cycling. Once you get into the higher level/upper divisions and rankings, those athletes are so far ahead of guys and gals only one level below them – on another planet. Slater is happens to be like that relative to everyone else on the WCT. I mean, he just really is that much better.
Heck, my favorite surfer is Tommy, hands down. But, all things being equal (free surfing or competition, clean, overhead, pealing rights or lefts), Slater is on another planet. Its weird!
That’s what I think.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Read again what you just wrote and then tell me what sense it makes, coz i don’t see any!
Niegà
April 5th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Personally and for many people I know, the only reason they are willing to stay up late to watch the live stream, is to watch KS surfing… The tour would be boring without him. His surfs better than the rest of the guys, period: He’s smooth, he’s unpredictable, stylish, naturally flexible like a gymnast, recovers like a cat, he’s playful, he looks like he’s having fun and thus, a pleasure to watch (also he’s 10y older than the guys he competes against, therefore a sentimental favorite for many). Guys like Fanning may have been interesting to watch performance wise last year, but after a while it gets repetitive if not a bit boring. It’s like he’s just doing his job, kind of like a formula 1 racer. Sure there are guys like Dane R. who are truly exciting, but he gives up too quickly if a wave doesn’t have the shape he had hoped for.. he needs to bend to the will of the wave and make the most of it, instead of the other way around… also if he gets the competitive fire going he will be that much more exciting in competition… In hollow waves of consequences, I would say Andy is the most awesome guy to watch… Hopefully someone like Dane R. will start to surf more like a competitor, that means completing the waves cleanly and milking them for all their worth without writing them off before it’s over… Competition after all, is not just about surfing for fun, it’s about being mentally strong, knowing what to do and when… like a chess match. That’s also why KS is exciting to watch in competition… he’s mastered the game and his own mind.
April 6th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Jm You hit the nail on the head. KS is not my fav. surfer, but I still watch each one of his heats. You can always expect something interesting to happen. Yes- KS plays head games with the guys on tour but he also gives props were they are due. You rarely hear any of the other players talk about the skill and wickedness of the up and comers. Most surfers reflect kindly on past heros, KS is constantly raving about the future, Dane R, Jon Jon, & before this year Jamie O.
You can’t deny that.
April 8th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Unfortunately (for me) i don’t see it this way. I much rather see a wct tour with several players in contention for the title -and real chances to win it- than a year like the one we are now facing, where Slater has pretty much won a 9th. I’m not blaming him: he is the best in this format. But i’m pretty much looking forward to his real retirement so we can see a good “fight” again between the others.
Niegà
April 12th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
niega
you want a tour without kelly so the other guys have a chance.sounds like you want a tour without the best surfer in the world so the other guy who cant beat him are allowed to shoot for 1st instead of going for 2nd.and what format do you want? the competitive animal and natural talent he is would doninate that also.dont be bitter because no ones at his level.sorry
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Niege it sounds like your misses has the hots for Kelly. I think Lexx has it right,because i am from OZ it was exciting when OCC won his world title but the best(KS)was not on tour to prove it. I was at bells this year & when you say kelly is not the best surfer on tour; watching his heat against hobgood @ winkipop right in front of me, when he just lights up this wave making sections 10-20 feet long that he has dropped in on himself from cutbacks; rides the wave flawlessly then at the end when it is only 2ft does the cleanest no hands air 360 lands reverse & rides out of it.
I have been surfing for 27 years live in OZ love our local CT surfers, bot if you know what you are talking about there is no better in anyway than Kelly & when you go to CT events everyone including the fat greek guy in the food vans watch him.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Big props to Shane! Not only admitting that he lives with the best of the CTers, but to acknowledge KS’s power and insanity in the water. That’s great that he attended Winki and observed even the chubby guy watching Kelly blow shit right out of the water. I have never been to a contest, but I know when I do, I will be trying to make the same observations Shane made:)
April 27th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Sorry guys but kelly slater still the best rider and competitor moremore he is the history of surfing
there was surf before him and surf since he was reveled to the world he is the KING he can defeat everyone and he his the most creative surfer the surf has ever see
April 28th, 2008 at 1:05 am
thanks Nicole for being dialled in. As for the reason why Ozzys can support Kelly on a high level is becuase it is not really about country rather than relating to people that are the best at your greatest passion. Kelly is celibrated for many reasons but the component we are talking about is on the wave. To make a point to many surfers on the CT like the Ozzys & Brazziers (Ha ha)are to wired into a grommet stle WQS style of surfing which is repeditive, fast & ZZZZZZZZZZ, oh were was i. OK Kelly, Andy, Taylor Knox, Pancho sullivan, Mick Campbell & Bobby Martinez & now Dane Reynolds can put there boards on rail keep it there commiting speed, power & torque into a lavish 21^3m of open face gouge/ roundhouse not being scared that the judges might score them down for not jamming in, 3 crappy little same same rio’s in. Power surfing is inspiring, trick surfing is exciting, tube triding is spiritual. The guys above blend them together seemlessly in high pressure situations.
But Kelly does it better than the rest; Simple!
April 28th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
The conversation above reflect the passion and thoughtfulness of our friends who follow 5ones. I’m very impressed and love to see the differing points of view.
Kelly Slater is the epitome of a “living legend.” He truly was born to surf. At some point his career will come to a close. Until then, I know I will personally take every opportunity possible to his greatness in action
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