Six reasons Kelly Slater is still relevant

there is usually a perfect spot to be in just in front of the breaking wave

Pro Surfing and Contests

By ASP Addict · June 8, 2009

Email This Post ·

Print This Post ·

Post a comment ·

There’s been a lot of negative press lately about our reigning world champ and his ability to continue winning. There’s no question that he still remains one of the best surfers in the world, but nay sayers are suggesting that he’s “over the hill”, “has to stop riding self-shaped experimental boards”, and “he’s just not into competing any more”. Despite his poor early results and all the negativity surrounding his 2009 campaign, I’m not ready to count Kelly Slater out just yet. Here are a few good reasons why the people’s champion is still relevant.

1. Nine World Championship titles, spanning from 1992 to 2008.

2. Forty (yes, 40) World Tour event wins throughout his career. Compare that to Joel Parkinson’s eight event wins, Taj Burrow’s six event wins, or Mick Fanning’s nine event wins.

3. Fellow tour-mate, Taylor Knox, who is a few months his senior, is currently sitting at 10th in the rankings.

4. Of the seven remaining events this season, he’s already won six of them, often multiple times, throughout his career.

5. Despite his poor 2009 performance, he won six events last year to take the title; three of those events - the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, the Boost Mobile Pro and the Billabong Pipeline Masters - still remain to be surfed this season.

6. He is the master of turning things around. As the media has begun to question his relevancy, and attention is turning towards a Parko vs. Taj battle for the crown, Slater is one of the few guys who can through a mixture of sheer skill and head games turn his status upside down and finish up on top. That is of course if he wants to.

Discussion

One comment for “Six reasons Kelly Slater is still relevant”

Plus, he’s a freak.

Posted by Grom | June 8, 2009, 4:41 pm

Pro Surfing and Contests