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| ....and 10!!!! |
Kelly Slater (USA), 38, has made history, claiming an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title at Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico, on November 5.
Slater became the youngest world champion when he was crowned in 1992 and then recorded five consecutive world titles from 1994-1998. After a four year sabbatical Slater returned to win again in 2005, 2006, 2008 and now, in 2010.
Here’s a little story…
Back in 1984, on the Gold Coast, Australian surfing team coach Paul Neilsen got a call from Quiksilver founder Alan Green.
It was after the Pacific Cup, an international teams event, and Green wanted to get the goss on some kid from Florida.
"What's this kid like?" Green asked.
"He's the best surfer I've ever seen," Neilsen replied.
That kid was a 12-year-old Kelly Slater.
"In that era, most surfers surfed either on their front foot or their back foot," Neilsen recalled. "What was so noticeable was that he was so perfectly balanced. He was head and shoulders above the rest, even at that age. It was clearly visible where he was going. I'd never seen anyone so well balanced through every maneuver."
But let’s go back to present time. The title was solidified in the quarterfinals of the World Tour contest, after Slater won his heat against Brazilian Adriano de Souza. In his heat against Adriano de Souza, 23, Kelly started things off quick in the quarters by backdooring a barrel for a 9 and then followed that up with a longer double barrel for a 9.87. Five minutes into the heat Kelly had 18.87 points, while Adriano had yet to catch a wave. Slater played it perfectly, the heat was done after Kelly’s first two waves. The win gave Slater enough points that the second surfer behind him, South African Jordy Smith, has no way to catch up.
“I don’t know, it just happened,” Slater said. “If you look at the heat, Adriano (De Souza) passed one up and let me have it and that was a good wave and that was pretty much it a few minutes into the heat. I just want to send my condolences to Irons family. It’s been a week of extremes for me. If it wasn’t for Andy (Irons) there is no way I’d be here in this position right now. I don’t really know what else to say, I’m a little overwhelmed right now. I want to dedicate this to Andy and to my family.”
Slater surfed against Australian Bede Durbidge, in the final, and capped off a memorable day with a perfect 10 ride.
"It's pretty amazing . . . that wave just sat up perfectly and I wasn't thinking I was going to get a 10 in those conditions", said the world champ.
Slater, who spent a large portion of his youth in Puerto Rico, had a huge support crew of family and friends to witness the incredible heat as well as the support of the tens of thousands in attendance on the beach.
“It’s nice to win this in Puerto Rico with my friends and family here,” Slater said. “I haven’t been surfing here on this part of the island since ’88 and I used to come here a lot. This was like a second home to me. It was like my little Hawaii. I used to come here in the winter and I have a lot of good friends from here. It’s the closest event ever to my home, so it feels like home.” “This is the only event close to my home” Slater added “and I spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico when I was a kid. I used to surf a lot of contests at Jobos and Wilderness, so this was kind of like a homecoming for me. A lot of my friends here I’ve known for 25 years and to surf with Dylan (Graves), I used to surf with his father in Florida when I was a kid. It was a special time. To be close to Florida and to win the 10th and get that wave (the Perfect 10) in the Final, there is nothing else I could add to it.”
Slater said he doubted whether he could win a 10th title. “I feel relieved, honestly,” said Kelly. “It’s been the most stressful title I’ve ever had, because it’s sort of an unknown place and you know at my age people say ‘you shouldn’t be doing this.’ And all the young guys are getting better and it’s a challenge to believe in yourself and not believe what other people tell you. I know how good Jordy, Dane, Mick, Taj and all those guys are, and it’s a marathon, you know? It’s not one wave, it’s not one maneuver, it’s not one contest. It’s a year-long thing and I know how to focus and it came together and I’m just so relieved.”
"It means a lot of hard work, a lot of focus, a lot of years focusing on one thing and to have it come to fruition is pretty crazy," Slater said.
When he is asked whether he wants to aim for an 11th surfing world title, he reveals he wouldn't mind giving professional golf a shot. "I've been thinking about that, I'd love to win a pro golf tournament one day," Slater said. "I'm just going to need to think about it for a little bit. (…) After 10, I've got to question what is there for me, and if the idea of 11 becomes appealing then I'll focus on that. If not, then I'll focus on the rest of my life."
“A long time ago Kelly asked himself the question if he had what it takes to win a world title and the answer was he had what it takes to win 10 world titles”, said Tom Curren.
I guess there’s nothing else to say…
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| Next champ on the green?!?!? |
Source: http://www.aspworldtour.com/2010/11/06/kelly-slater-clinches-historic-10th-asp-world-title-in-puerto-rico-3/
http://surf.transworld.net/1000118019/features/kelly-slaters-road-to-10-in-2010/
http://surfertoday.com/surfing/4403-kelly-slater-wins-10th-asp-world-surfing-title
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/kelly-slater-caps-stellar-career-with-perfect-10/story-e6frg7mf-1225949111897
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