Aug 16 2010
The trials at Teahupoo are on, new swell has arrived and the boys are on it. As always, big barrels come with big wipe-outs. Check out these massive wipe-outs including Laurie Towner and Anthony Walsh.
Jul 13 2010
Here’s a clip of the top moments of the J-Bay Billabong Pro as told by the pro’s.
Webisode 07 – JBay’s Greatest Moments from Billabong on Vimeo.
Dec 30 2008
1) Kelly destroys ASP winning 9th world championship.
Photo: Quicksilver
I’m not sure there’s anything that needs to said here. He blew away the field, winning 6 contests and 5 of the first 7 contests. It was never a contest, there was no race in points, it was just a matter of when he would close the deal, which he did in Mundaka, Spain. Unless the top 10 on the tour step up huge next year, there doesn’t look like anything is getting in the way of Kelly winning his 10th world title next year. Final ASP Rankings.
2) AI implodes on tour, takes 2009 off.
Photo: ASP/Cestari
Andy Irons put up a disappointing performance on WCT tour in 2008. He highest finish was 5th place. He failed to show up for his heat at the Quicksilver Pro France and skipped the Brazil contest leading to speculation about his troubles. Andy announced that he was taking 2009 off from the tour, and may be following the path of free surfer of his brother, Bruce Irons.While I respect any athletes decision to do what he pleases with his career, A.I. has shown to be the best competitor to Kelly Slater (no disrepect to Taj, Mick, Parko, Bede, and others in the top 10). When he’s on top form, he’s one of the most exciting surfers to watch on tour. So while a year free surfing the best barrels of the world will no doubt be the time of his life, he will be missed on the 2009 WCT tour and his absence removes one more hurdle to Kelly Slater clinching his 10th world title.
3) Kelly wins 6th pipeline masters (on 5’11″ board).
Photo: Channel Islands Surfboards
Kelly looked unstoppable all year and the Pipeline Masters was no exception. He beat Chris Ward in the final heat while riding a 5’11″ in 8-10 ft Pipeline. Adding a final flourish to his epic year. Well done, Kelly. Looking forward to see what you can do next year.
4) Year of the shark.
Dec 22 2008
Highlights of Kelly Slater in his 2008 WCT Championship year includes footage from Bell’s Beach, Padang Padang, Pipeline, J-Bay, Trestles, and other events on the 2008 Tour.
Dec 22 2008
Video highlights from the 2008 Pipeline Masters where Kelly Slater rode a 5’11″ to win.
Dec 17 2008
You’ve probably heard the news by now that Kelly Slater won his sixth Pipeline Masters (adding to his 9 world titles). The finals were Slater vs. Chris Ward. The surf pumped for most of the contest and Slater, deciding the push the limits of the reason in board size, surfed a 5’11″ Channel Islands “Deep Six” board throughout the contest in 8-10 ft. Hawaiian Surf (Transworld Surf story). That’s the size surf at Pipeline that most of us wouldn’t consider paddling out in, let alone on a 5’11″ board.
Photo: Channel Islands Surfboards
Nov 21 2008
Photo: Quicksilver
EXPN’s Jon Coen interviews Kelly Slater asking him some pretty ordinary questions and gets some pretty ordinary responses. I’m personally not dying to hear Kelly’s opinion on Obama and Ralph Nader or the economy which seem to be the focus of the interview. Kelly does talk about his Kelly Slater foundation that raise money for good causes such as cancer. However, Kelly also calls terrorism a “played out, over-rated threat” suggesting because it only kills a small number compared to cancer and cardiovascular disease its deserving too much attention and money. That’s a hard argument to swallow. While he’s right that a large number of people die from cancer and cardiovascular disease every year, it doesn’t simply negate any other physical threat to our people. Secondly, the threat of terrorism is an ideological threat as well, an attack on humanity and on freedom.
Oct 15 2008
It’s hard being an ASP pro surfer. I believe that. They travel an extraordinary amount, deal with difficult surf conditions and what can be at times a very frustrating scoring and judging format. It’s hard, but there’s 10 million surfers that would take their place in an instant. It’s hard, but there’s the general expectation as with all sports that the athlete show up.
Andy Irons, after losing in the first round of the Quicksilver Pro France, did not even show up for his second heat. No injury, no stomach bug, no good excuse at all. It’s a 30 minute two man heat in excellent beachbreak surf; just one other guy out. The whole beach to yourself. Just go out and have fun. You’re a three time World Champion, and you tell your fans, the tour, and your sponsors to screw off because you’re frustrated.
Surfline publishes an interview with Andy to talk about his frustrations on tour this year and why he gave up in France and why he’s taking a break and skipping Brazil. That’s the competitive spirit Andy. Just take a break because Kelly won the World Title and you rolled over before the WCT even started this year.
He compares himself to Kobe Bryant about how coaches would let other professional athletes take a break if they were about to have a “meltdown.” The truth of it that every athlete faces real challenges, the difference is that THEY SHOW UP! They show for the fans, they show up for their sponsors, and they show up to demonstrate that they don’t take how lucky they are for granted. Take a break at the end of the season or do what Kelly did and take a season off.
The interview is pretty pathetic, filled with expletives, it’s not worth reprinting. Andy if you’re the champion you claim to be, then get to work and start showing up. You’re not going to find a lot of sympathy here. You’re an incredible surfer. No one has asked that you win a world title every year. Your fans just want to see you out there competing. Take a break, I’d rather see guys like who’ve fought from the bottom like Bede Durbridge and Adriano De Souza to within two places of winning a world title. Or guys like Mick and Taj, who know the kind of work it takes to win a world title. Or the new guard of Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith. Just stop comparing yourself to Kobe Bryant. And stop complaining.
UPDATE: Fuel.TV has a post about AI talking about how his flakiness on tour extended to commitments to sponsors and PR related commitments. There was speculation that he had developed some hard partying habits. If AI has a problem with drugs and/or alcohol then he should admit it and get he help he needs. Otherwise, he destroying his reputation and losing his fan base.
Oct 03 2008
Kelly Slater won his 9th world title today, uneventfully at Mundaka (ASP Tour). He became both the youngest (22) and oldest (36) surfer to win world titles. He also compiled an impressive list of other records (5ones.com).
ASP Records Held by Kelly Slater:
Most ASP World Titles: Nine (2008, 2006, 2005, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1992)
Most ASP World Tour Victories: 39
Oldest ASP World Champion: 36-years-old (2008)
Youngest ASP World Champion: 20-year-old (1992)
Highest Heat Total: Only perfect 20 out of 20 ever earned (Tahiti – 2005)
Most Event Wins in a Season: Seven in 1996
Currently, Kelly is followed in ranking on the ASP world tour by Taj Burrow, Bede Durbidge, Adriano De Souza, Joel Parkinson, and Mick Fanning. Although the year is not finished yet, Taj, Bede, and Adriano all had impressive showings, but ultimately could not stop Kelly at the top of his game. From the first event at Snapper Rocks in Australia, which Kelly won, he rolled the competition and so far has won 5 of 8 events. Bede and Adriano showed themselves to be world title contenders and stepped up the competition in the top 10.
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Sep 30 2008
There’s something about the fall. On the ASP tour it’s most concentrate number of contests with the Boost Mobile Pro Trestles, Quicksilver Pro France (Hossegor), Billabong Pro Mundaka, and Hang Loose Pro Santa Catarina, Brazil all being run off in quick succession. Incredibly, Taj Burrow actually has a chance at catching Kelly Slater for the world title (assuming Kelly implodes and Taj turns it on for the last couple of events). But watching this video of Kelly at the Boost Mobile Pro makes it hard to argue that he’s not the best surfer in the world.