Kelly Slater (OT)

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Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 21, 2010 - 10:57pm PT
Best athlete ever?
Can you think of a better one?
Read the whole article before you even try...
many obvious ones got shot down.

http://www.grindtv.com/surf/blog/20591/could+kelly+slater+be+the+best+athlete+ever+no+seriously/

Long live Kelly.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Sep 21, 2010 - 11:02pm PT
I think that it would be absurd to even consider a surfer as the best athlete ever. It's not exactly a sport available to the masses.
John Moosie

climber
Beautiful California
Sep 21, 2010 - 11:04pm PT
They have a wave pool in Kansas now.
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Sep 21, 2010 - 11:04pm PT
Big fish in a little pond. Surfing is such a small population when it comes to talent that to call him the greatest athlete of all time / ever is pretty ridiculous. Maybe most dominate in a small population niche sport, that I could agree with.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:19am PT
Slater, I agree Kelly is just an enormous talent and individual. A surfer genius actually. We don't have to choose who is the greatest whatever in this life--- there are so many luminaries after all. He is my hero for sure though. He also has been an actor and a haut couture model. The first photo of him (from a distance obviously crying) was taken shortly after amazing Malik Joyeux was killed at Pipeline. These photos below are actually part of my "favorite photos" folder--- this is how seriously I take Slater.




The wave that killed Malik Joyeux:













[img]
http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq81/peterhaan/kelly30.jpg{{/img}}




Dapper Dan

Trad climber
Menlo Park
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:31am PT
wow you sure have a lot of photos of him .
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:51am PT
This debate is as old as sports, isn't it?

One issue to be considered is: "What is the competition?" That is, if surfing had as many competitors as, say football, would it be possible for anyone to stay on top as long as KS has? I know next to nothing about surfing, except that the film I've seen of big-wave surfing is mindblowing, so I can't say. But I'd venture a guess that Eddy Merckx, to take the obvious example, faced a lot more competition from up-and-coming young guns...
Mike Bolte

Trad climber
Planet Earth
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:17am PT
don't sell real watermen short...

hat's off to Largo for a great book - The Big Drop. Caught the scene perfectly.
enjoimx

Trad climber
SLO Cal
Sep 22, 2010 - 02:10am PT
I read the article today! The video is cool, he is a badass surfer, and once you try surfing, you will be impressed by his talent. Best athlete ever? Doubtful.
Rudder

Trad climber
Long Beach, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 06:06am PT
Kelly, Jack Nicklaus, Ali, Magic... so many greats... but have you ever watched Lynn Hill's free climb the Nose in a day video? Maybe the greatest athletic achievement of all time... and very few people care. :/
AllezAllez510

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 09:32am PT
First off, Slater is the best *competition* surfer of all time, but he can, and does, do it all.

I spend a disproportionate amount of time geeking out on contest footage, so here is my take.

If you look at the waves that the ASP regularly holds contests at, they are all waves that Kelly Slater has wired...Hold a contest at J-Bay and he will win 9 times out of 10. Trestles is also nearly tailor made for his style of contest surfing. He gets more turns in the "critical" part of the wave than anyone and can throw in an air at the end. Way more potential for a ten than someone who is goofyfooted.

The flip side of that is that there are waves that Kelly does not have wired. A monster wave like chopes is a little out of his league, even though he can surf it very well.

So, is KS "the best" surfer ever? Who can say? But he has to be in the top five of anyone's list.

As for surfing not being a sport...try paddle boarding from Molokai to Oahu (not that I'd ever try it...) of paddling out and competing for waves at Steamer Lane.
TwistedCrank

climber
Ideeho-dee-do-dah-day boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom
Sep 22, 2010 - 09:55am PT
This tread takes on the apparition of being a cutout from "Men's Journal"


What next, "Outside"?



Fodder for puke.
AllezAllez510

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 10:08am PT
Well, there's always some sort of republican-i-hate-paying-taxes-waaaahmbulance thread for you to read...
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Sep 22, 2010 - 10:50am PT
He's a great athlete yes, but the best - I don't think so. He has 9 world titles, about to be 10, but all of those are based on JUDGES. I think all of the judges on the tour have hard-ons for Kelly.

But ya, the man is a consistently bad ass surfer.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Sep 22, 2010 - 10:55am PT
JR, you hit the key point- dominant. There are a lot of athletes who dominate their sports, some like Slater to a great degree. A lot of these are "niche" sports available to only a small segment of the population along, largely, socio-economic parameters.
BrentA

Gym climber
Roca Rojo
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:16pm PT
"His years running around with the likes of Pamela, Gisele and Cameron earned him more mainstream press than any of his records, compounding the torture. Poor guy."

Good game, sir. Good game.
BCD

Mountain climber
Bishop, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:21pm PT
And for anyone who thinks formula one drivers are not a real athletes...well, your(sic) high.

Hey,
You shouldn't talk bad about people who are "high". If race car driving is a sport, then people who sit on the couch smoking weed are surely athletes as well! They have to occasionally get up and walk to the kitchen, which is more than can be said about driving a car.

Seriously, though. considering things like golf and race car driving to be "sports" is probably one of the reasons 80% of our citizens are overweight. When the doctor tells people to get more exercise, they think "OK, I'll just drive the backroads to work from now on"
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:28pm PT
Kelly Slater couldn't carry Jim Thorpe's jockstrap.
Chank

Trad climber
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:32pm PT
You might be able to put him in the running for most accomplished athlete within his given sport, but "best athlete ever"? Not even close.
pc

climber
Sep 22, 2010 - 12:58pm PT
Sport's entertainment, right? That means the best should be the most fun/most interesting to watch.

Slater's great but to me...

Ali
Gretzky
Jordan
Maradona
Montana

And a few others maybe...Pure entertainment.



Ken M

Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:14pm PT
Domination in a sport would be the entry point of discussion:

Edwin Moses, 400 meter high hurdles:
he won 122 races in a row between 1977 and 1987 plus two gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was undefeated for exactly nine years nine months and nine days, from August 26, 1977 until June 4, 1987. He also held the world record for sixteen years from when he first broke it at the Olympics on July 25, 1976

Vasiliy Alekseyev Weightlifting:
He set 80 world records and 81 Soviet records in weightlifting.
8 world championships, 2 Olympic gold medals, In January of 1970 Alekseyev set his first world record,[1] beginning a series of 80 world records set between 1970 and 1977. He was unbeaten and held the World Championship and European Championship titles for those eight years. He was the first man to total over 600 kg in the triple event.

Aleksandr Karelin. Greco-Roman Wrestling:
he went undefeated in international competition (spanning from 1987 to 2000) until a rule change resulted in an upset loss to American Rulon Gardner in the gold-medal match at the Sydney Olympics. He was revered for his extraordinary strength and unprecedented success in international competition. He is universally considered to be the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time.
His conditioning and quickness combined with his dominance of the sport, led to him being known as "The Experiment" by much of the rest of the world. When asked why he thought he was called that, Karelin noted that others don't understand because "I train every day of my life as they have never trained a day in theirs."

He won twelve European Championships, nine World Championships, and three Olympic gold medals during his reign. Karelin's dominance is unparalleled: he won every match he entered for thirteen years and went ten years without giving up a single point.

he refinined a vicious wrestling maneuver that would make Karelin indomitable—the reverse body lift. The move was unprecedented for a heavyweight, because it requires the wrestler to lift his 280-pound opponent—a feat that was unthinkable until Karelin came along. "To execute it, Karelin locks his arms around the waist of an opponent," John Greenwald explained in Time magazine, "then lifts the wrestler like a sack of potatoes and, arching his back, heaves the hapless fellow, feet first, over his head." Following the severe impact, Karelin would descend upon his opponent. Top heavyweights so feared the move that they would roll over and allow themselves to be pinned rather than being subjected to it.

"You consider this ancient sport and this monumental man who's had a perfect career," said NBC commentator Jeff Blatnick, himself an Olympic gold medalist who lost to Karelin in 1987, "and the only thing you come up with is that he is what Hercules was to the ancient Greeks."


Just to name three
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:18pm PT
"considering things like golf and race car driving to be "sports" is probably one of the reasons 80% of our citizens are overweight."

Golf gets a lot of flack. Perhaps it's not really a "sport," but it is one hard-ass game. Look at the guys on tour--they are all cut. They work out hard, because it takes strength to drive a ball 300+ yards. It's a game of mental and physical control, and folks win million$ because many folks do know how tough the game is.

Racing: mental, nerves, and touch. I can't imagine controlling an F1 at those speeds. To think that it's not a sport is nonsense.

Now baseball...OK, I've seen some pretty athletic plays. But by and large, most players stand around for hours.

However, to blame any activity on why folks are fat is kinda off. It's that people sit and watch rather than play. Go out and shoot 18 holes of golf, and tell me you didn't get a workout.

Best athlete? A blend of mental & physical in my estimation.

Hondo on Moonlight, one of the most amazing athletic achievements ever, IMO.
blahblah

Gym climber
Boulder
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:21pm PT
Aleksandr Karelin:

He's the guy who got beat by the fat American hick from Wyoming?

Greatest athlete of all time? About as likely as the guy who wins the hotdog eating contests.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:23pm PT
Here, here, Kelly. And the problem now for Alex is the next logical steps from there!! eeyee! That ole endless loop of harder and harder climbing....
the kid

Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:43pm PT
yes and here is why:
the question really should be:
best extreme/fringe/competitive- sport athlete..

so look at how many titles in a row he has won.. compare to other world cup sports.
then look at how long he has dominated both comps and pushing the limits of surfing..
look @ how much money he has earned in his chosen sport.
and then finally- if you have spent ANY decent amount of time surfing (i started before i started climbing) you will agree that the sport is: very difficult to master, and at that level also involves risking death by drowning or other as part of daily routine. I would compare extreme on sight solo climbing as being on par..

So Mr. Donini- i think you need to look deeper into the question before you scoff..

ks
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:47pm PT
3 main types of sports:

Man vs Man
Man vs Nature
Man vs Himself

Kurt - do some serious swell hype praying - might get some good gulfside action while you're here.
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Sep 22, 2010 - 01:58pm PT
Accomplishments in the chosen sport are one measurement. But it doesn't allow for some really talented athletes like Deion Sanders, who was both a starting World Series center fielder and starting Superbowl cornerback in 92/93.

Jordan tried baseball and sucked. The only person even close to Sander's multi sport ability was another former Atlanta player, Brian Jordan. And though Jordan started in both NFL and MLB, Deion was totally dominant in both. Won a Superbowl, should have won a world series.

Easily the best pure athlete of the 1990s.



Ken M

Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
Sep 22, 2010 - 02:04pm PT
blahblah

Yep, watched the match. They'd changed the rules, from not having to compete a bunch of times just before the gold medal match, to having to, if that was the draw.

So a fresh Gardner went up against the Russian, who had had to compete in 3 matches just prior to this match. In the match prior, his opponent scored the first point anyone had scored in 10 years.

They changed the rule back, after this competition. The Russian never complained about the situation at all.
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Sep 22, 2010 - 02:19pm PT
Kelly Slater spotted yesterday at his favorite break:

Studly

Trad climber
WA
Sep 22, 2010 - 02:23pm PT
For some reason I get the feeling a few of you guys have never been out in big surf, let alone ruled the badass world of competitive surfing.
BrentA

Gym climber
Roca Rojo
Sep 22, 2010 - 02:48pm PT
To whomever mentioned Alex Karelin above. Props for noticing. Toss Dan Gable in there too?

To the guy that likened him to a hotdog eater that lost to some guy from Wyoming...

That was his only loss in probably 15 years of international competition.

At the world level it is super common for matches to be won 1-0, or 2-1.

He lost his one match on an obscure rule about "regripping" in OT, in teh gold medal game.

Worldclass opponents would routinely injury forfeit to avoid injury. Yes, injury.

What about the Russian pole vaulter that owned the pole.


Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Sep 22, 2010 - 03:14pm PT
Those Ironman folks are pretty impressive. Marc whatshisnuts was pretty dominant back in the day.
Soulsurfer

Trad climber
San Diego, Ca
Sep 22, 2010 - 03:34pm PT
I would have to say that Kelly Slater is NOT the best athlete ever. He does win a competions if that means anything. I view this as a subjective matter and I happen to like Tom Curren, Derek Hynd, Neal Purchase Jr. and the like.

I HATE Competition surfing. It is killing the soul of surfing. There is Soul surfing and competition Surfing. Just like there are Boulder competions and Alpine or other rock climbers. To say some Comp hero is the best climber ever would be like saying Kelly Slater is the best athlete ever.

It is sad to see what competition surfing has done to the surfing lifestyle. I still see plenty of soul in the water down here in San Diego and I am sure it is else where also.

Peace.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Sep 22, 2010 - 05:23pm PT
i can get in the line up but what about you?


slater sucks because laird Hamilton will always rule the surfer world.

most favorible for me is that Mike Parsons surfer dude!!!

also, those dudes who made up the billibong odyssey video are pretty bad ass!

salad

climber
Escondido
Sep 22, 2010 - 05:24pm PT
Secretariat
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Sep 22, 2010 - 05:33pm PT
Saying someone is the best athlete is like saying someone is the best scholar. Do we mean physics, medicine, literature etc. If you are going to make the try only sports that have large numbers of worldwide participants of different races, cultures etc. should be included. Sports like soccer, basketball or track and field- forget "country club sports."
AllezAllez510

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Sep 22, 2010 - 06:17pm PT
Not that it matters, but to my knowledge Slater usually conducts himself as a gentleman and is waaaay more of a role model than most professional athletes. I know he's bedded many, many women, but he's been smart enough to not get married to any of them (cough, Tiger Woods, cough).

I'd rather have my kids look up to him than some schmuck who plays with balls (not that there's anything wrong with that...).

Also...since when is surfing a "fringe sport?" Surfing is a multi-BILLION dollar industry and is accessible to any state with a coast and swell window. As for it being reserved for the rich...tell that to the dirt poor kids in central America that were jockying with me for waves this summer. Some them were athletes indeed.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Sep 23, 2010 - 01:10am PT
Coz did you happen to check out his wife during your run in with laird?
lol!
http://www.lairdhamilton.com/

I vote for laird because he invented the foil board which is a new part for the sport of surfing.

Donini come out of the desert hole you been spouting from and come surf with us boys from Stoney point.

landcruiserbob

Trad climber
Maui or Vail ; just following the sun.......
Sep 23, 2010 - 03:10am PT

MIKE KLOSERhttp://mikekloser.com

Go to his bio page & look at his world titles in many outdoor sports.

Amazing

I've raced against him; he's an animal. He can go 5 days without sleep & cover 600 miles via many sports & climb over 100,000 in the race; his avg heart rate will sit at 160 for 5 days without sleep.

Freakish








Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 23, 2010 - 10:35am PT
Laird must be the most-loved surfer as well as possibly the greatest. I also love the little segment way way back in "Free and Easy", where Billy Hamilton (his adoptive father) plays with baby Laird on the beach--- who knew he was passing the torch to such a surfing great. Baby Laird apparently CHOSE Billy on the beach one day and this lead to Billy marrying Laird's single mom, Joann.

Laird:





Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Sep 23, 2010 - 11:24am PT
Peter,

Do you still surf? Except for vacations in Hawaii and Vancouver Island, I haven't surfed (aka bobbed in the break) since the early 90s. I was never particularly good at catching waves, and boy has that gotten harder with age and, ahem, weight.

I still trip on the differences between surfing and climbing in both culture and the physical/mental requirements of both. I also can't believe how good young high school surfers, who apparently don't have two brain cells to rub together, are at judging breaks and catching wavers.

Darwin
~
the kid

Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
Sep 23, 2010 - 01:27pm PT
I have been dubbed WISE by the Coz, guess that means i'm also getting older..
love it..
the best is the one having the most fun..
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 23, 2010 - 02:07pm PT
Yeah Silver, that is Teahupoo (pronounced: chopoo, nicknamed "Chopes"). It is in Tahiti. It is in a really amazing shallow reef situation and can hold enormous size but still be tight. It is such an amazingly powerful phenomenon.... it actually is upsetting to look at, it is so powerful, deadly and pure.



Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Sep 23, 2010 - 02:18pm PT
One guy missing from the mix here is the Canibal Eddie Merckx.

Not so. I brought him into it way back on the first page, wondering whether Kelly Slater would have
stayed on top as long as he has if he faced the amount and level of competition that Merckx faced.
That guy was something special.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Sep 23, 2010 - 02:46pm PT
Peter nice pic of those sukers paddling..... i'd be shitting a brick full of fear!

i like to rent some of the surf videos from netflix then pump up the volume then you can kinda hear what it would sound like.

crøtch

climber
Sep 23, 2010 - 03:48pm PT
For Donini - This is the surfing equivalent of Alpine. If you like adventure climbing, you should be able to identify with these guys.

For the love.

http://www.relentlessenergy.com/films/view/powers-of-three
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
Sep 23, 2010 - 04:14pm PT
Speaking of the Big Drop, we're doing another big wave surfing book, The Big Juice, co-authored with Sam George, former editor of Surfer. Looking strong so far. Will post a few pics later.

JL
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Sep 23, 2010 - 05:00pm PT
"And the problem now for Alex is the next logical steps from there!! eeyee!
That ole endless loop of harder and harder climbing.... "

Peter, so true about Alex. We're all waiting to see what he chooses for his next tick.

It's sort of like watching Croft's soloing exploits. Tipps, up AND down! The Rostrum,
then Astroman, then both...Yikes! But Croft is cool as a cat, and now see what he's doing.
Still enjoying himself in the mountains, wise enough to know when and where to draw the line.
If Hondo never did any harder soloing, he'd still have my full and unworthy praise.


As for that Tahiti wave, I hear the ocean just Sinks in front of the wave, like an elevator going Down.
Look at the pics, the top of the wave is level with the rest of the ocean...
Brass is what that took to surf first!
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 23, 2010 - 05:25pm PT
Yeah Kelly. It has to be the most sucked-out larger wave anyone rides....and remember the speed of those island waves is nearly 50% faster than ordinary continental shelf waves--- the waves you see say in Santa Cruz that have to drag their asses across miles and miles of shelf before they reach the shoreline. Surfable super shallow reefs in front of really deep water channels or deep open ocean aren’t all that common. Mavericks is similar in this when the swell lines up with its channel, but still it is not as shallow as Chopes, though M can be quite a bit bigger.

Crotch, incredibly wonderful strong film, thanks for the link; I never would have seen it otherwise! NO raz-matazz, just personal and involving, plus some hellacious waves...!

I guess those shots of Laird Hamilton on Teahupoo were when he or basically anyone had ridden it really big for the first time. It was apparently a life-changing experience (like Potter and Houlding said after doing Southern Belle a couple of years back). But as with all things, now Chopes is ridden even at its largest rideable condition by a number of big-timers. Apparently Laird was in tears afterwards, it was that emotional being in there. There is a movie on this.
Roxy

Trad climber
CA Central Coast
Sep 23, 2010 - 06:24pm PT
bump for "The Big Juice", sounds like it might be another Largo collected anthology in the same vein as "Liquid Locomotive"...that would be dab for sure!

Will it be released in time for the Holidays? Fingers crossed.
TripL7

Trad climber
san diego
Sep 23, 2010 - 07:14pm PT
"Peter nice pic of those sukers paddling out.....id be shitting a brick full of fear."

Actually, there are only a handful(6-8 max)of those guys who are capable of surfing a wave of this standard out there on any given day of this size(triple overhead).
Just a few of those guys who actually get deep enough into the peak, and eventually go for it on a day like this.
The rest are just watching. Watching some of the best big wave surfers in the world, and want "a ring side seat".

The vast majority of the surfers you see in this pic fall into this category (watching) and for the most part stay well out of the take off zone.

Pipe(Banzai Pipeline)on a big day is the same way(there are allot of guys sitting in the channel to the right).

There are allot of people(and boats)out there that you can't see in this photo(which was probably taken from a boat).

Edit: You can barely see a surfers head in the upper right hand corner who is in "deep" enough to take off, and where you would want to be to actually drop in.
bjj

climber
beyond the sun
Sep 23, 2010 - 07:26pm PT
I can't believe anyone would say it takes the same effort as a stoner going to the kitchen as it does to drive a race car.

Beyond ridiculous.

F1 racing takes reaction time and endurance you can't even begin to understand.

There was a top gear segment a while back where one of the hosts, a person who drives fast cars on a daily basis for a living got behind the wheel of an F1 car.

On a regular track where he was the ONLY driver, he couldn't even get the car going fast enough to heat the breaks to a point where they would work properly. He was too scared to open it up for fear of crashing and killing himself.

Past that, whoever said Karelin and Dan Gable has the right idea. Wrestlers are some of the most well conditioned athletes out there.

After I got forced out of climbing in 2003, I started practicing brazilian jiu jitsu (thus my screen name bjj). Even after 7 years in the art, I had an incredibly hard time with the former wrestlers who would come into train. They could put on and sustain a pace that was hell to deal with.

But, my vote goes for top cyclists. The tour gets my vote for hardest sporting event in the world. Most guys can't even finish it the first few times.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 24, 2010 - 12:35am PT
Here, here Coz. Yes
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Sep 24, 2010 - 10:44am PT
I was in Orange County last week visiting my mom and I had Saturday morning free before I caught a plane back. The Trestles pro surf event was in progress, so I thought I would take in my first surf contest. I walked down the trail to the colorful, elevated stands. After being denied entrance to the stands—surf industry only—I found a spot on the beach, among the tattooed masses, to watch the proceedings.

A guy comes jogging by me, blue wet suit, surfboard under his arm. He high-fives a young kid and I realize that it is Slater, getting ready for the next quarter final heat. My timing was impeccable—I had just an hour to watch a surf contest and I hit it just right to see the “world’s greatest surfer” in action.

Slater is up against a guy named Owen Wright. The format is head to head competition for 30 minutes, with the winner determined by judges scoring them from the beach. The sets are inconsistent, but after 15 minutes or so, a big wave approaches. Slater and Wright both take off, Slater to the right and Wright to the left. My eyes are on Slater and he is doing these beautifully controlled high speed turns, showing complete mastery of the rail.

I am impressed, but the crowd first gasps and then cheers. I think the cheers are for Slater’s last ripping turn, but the announcer says, “Wright just had a huge punt!”. My view is blocked by a television camera, so I don’t see it. Slater is announced the winner of the heat. Later, I learn that he goes on to win the semifinals and the contest.

When I got home, I pulled up the video to see the maneuver that wowed the announcer and the crowd.

Here it is; select Qtr 2 Slater v. Wright

http://www.hurley.com/hurleypro/videos.cfm

Wright did not do just one, but a couple of amazing aerial moves, and to my climber’s eye, he should have beaten Slater. His moves were more committing, more daring, more difficult, and way more crowd pleasing. I am not an expert in surfing (a kook, if truth be told) but there seems to a disconnect in the scoring system.


pc

climber
Sep 24, 2010 - 10:52am PT
Rick,

Thanks for the post. Those were some amazing tricks by Wright. Slater's always rock solid and fun to watch.

Cheers,
pc
FeelioBabar

Trad climber
One drink ahead of my past.
Sep 24, 2010 - 11:00am PT
So it has to be available to the masses to be a "real" sport?

Just curious Donini....ever surf?

Studly

Trad climber
WA
Sep 24, 2010 - 11:06am PT
Rick, you're right. No way should Kelly have taken that heat. Owen pulled off 2 aerial 360's and landed them. That first one was huge! It should have scored big points and won over Kelly just carving it up, although admitingly Kelly was REALLY carving it up.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Sep 24, 2010 - 12:05pm PT
this guy is young and full of carving creativity!

http://www.surfline.com/surfing-a-to-z/taj-burrow-biography-and-photos_774/

Rick it's kinda nice to hear that a pro surfer can be nice to people!
crøtch

climber
Sep 24, 2010 - 01:48pm PT
Bump for big wave photos.


Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Sep 24, 2010 - 01:52pm PT
Nice shot Crotch. Brobrah looks set for a world of pain in T-minus 3,2,1...OUCH!
bmacd

Trad climber
Grade V, Level III certified KooK 100% Canadian
Sep 24, 2010 - 01:55pm PT
Would not the top athlete title by definition imply multidisciplinary successes ?

crøtch

climber
Sep 24, 2010 - 02:01pm PT
Hi ElCap. What's worse: the anticipation of the beating, or the beating itself?
AM

climber
DLFA
Sep 24, 2010 - 02:19pm PT
Queeriously? You guys are funny.

Donini hit it on the head...it's like trying to name the #1 scholar of all time. Kinda silly.

/end thread
jonny_gunk

Trad climber
new paltz, ny
Sep 24, 2010 - 02:22pm PT
having that many non-surfing shots of slater...is really creepy.
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
Sep 24, 2010 - 06:07pm PT
Sergey Bubka. No one is close to his records from the early 90s.
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Sep 25, 2010 - 11:04am PT
Pyro-I have no idea really, but Slater seemed like a good bloke. If you go to the contest videos link, take a look at his interview at the very end of the finals clip. He was just as excited as any surfer would be by the predicted good swell that week, saying he would be willing to be repeatedly punched in the face in exchange for the opportunity to surf alone in those conditions (Instead, they paid him about 100k). After surfing all over the world, it seems he still genuinely just loves to get out there.

Johny-Looking forward to the new book.

Rick
TripL7

Trad climber
san diego
Sep 25, 2010 - 01:55pm PT
"after surfing all over the world, he genuinely just loves to get out there."

Lowers (Trestles) is the premier beach/reef(A-frame) break in cali, and the world for that matter. And is the perfect venue for his(Kelly) particular style of surfing. In comparison, i would point you to an interview/clip(if i/or some one else can find it) a year or two ago, when his autobiography was just coming out and he(Kelly)opted to cancel/snub the Huntington Beach event. One of the biggest, most spectator/fan attended surfing event in the world. Where young kids(groms)and surfers in general wait/talk about all year in anticipation of watching there hero's/idols...namely Kelly.

He was up north at some barnes & noble, with virtually nobody in the store cept a few droolie chickie's(and perhaps PH, lol)signing/autographing his book. And he's saying "Why should i go surf some choppie 2' wind swell, when i surf/travel around the world surfing the...blah, blah, blah!

Totally shined everybody on. The only thing he(Kelly)failed to add was, he didn't turn around, bend over and flash a big "brown eye" for the camera.

"Why should I..."

Uuuhhhhhhhh, maybe cuz the kids/groms that idolize you and buy all the rags/surf mags and other commercial crap that keeps you floating can't afford a ticket to Indo/J Bay/Barritz, etc. to watch a pro event, and have been waiting for the one op they may ever get to see you surf??

It ain't about the fans, or the "just getting out there" it's about "Kelly"!!

These kids worship the ground he walks on, and surf those crappy/choppy little wind swells every chance they get...i hope they see that interview and get the chance to see what "Kelly" thinks of it and them.

I hope somebody finds that clip cuz it gives good look into the head of this guy...
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 25, 2010 - 11:34pm PT
Check out this monster:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1276067/The-Horrific-Cyclops-Break-in-Western-Australia
Kalimon

Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
Sep 25, 2010 - 11:58pm PT
For such a tough guy he sure looks like a fag in his pictures.

Now that's funny!
rincon

Trad climber
SoCal
Sep 26, 2010 - 12:15am PT
Speaking of surf contests...I'll always remember the riot at Huntington Beach at the OP Pro contest (1986). At the end of the surfing, they had a bikini contest that got out of hand, and when HB's finest tried to put a handle on it, things spiraled out of control real quick. Ended up burning a police car or two. That contest featured Tommy Curren and Occy, head to head in the finals...it was really something since there was about a hundred thousand people there, and those dudes were shredding.
Lots of pictures here...
http://www.boardcollector.com/2010/07/1986-op-pro-huntington-beach.html

AllezAllez510

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Sep 26, 2010 - 03:37am PT
"These kids worship the ground he walks on, and surf those crappy/choppy little wind swells every chance they get...i hope they see that interview and get the chance to see what "Kelly" thinks of it and them."

This is like faulting Kobe Bryant for not playing three on three tournaments at the Y. HB is a joke of a wave compared to most of the waves on the ASP tour. It really is blown out slop most of the time. I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all pros would openly call HB what it is...a marginal wave at best. If tour money or position in the rankings is not on the line, why should he surf there? Surfing is not charity work (although KS does contribute quite a bit to charity funds...).
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Sep 29, 2010 - 02:41am PT
thanks rincon! did not know about those surf riots.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Sep 29, 2010 - 03:10am PT
Surfing is pretty big now, but its only been around for how long as a competitive sport... 50 years?

Wrestling has been an olympic event since the... well since Olympia was defended with swords and boards.

How 'bout THIS guy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Karelin


The baddest dude on the planet. Like, for a LONG time.

how many people won a GOLD MEDAL? How many won it THREE TIMES IN A ROW? and lost the fourth (got silver) by one point? Thats 19 years of being the best in the world.

Oh, and one of those gold medals he won with a broken neck.

Don't F*#k With Me.

Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 29, 2010 - 02:07pm PT
He just won Trestles Pro...
Here comes World Title #10!?
Butoou

Sport climber
Malibu
Oct 6, 2010 - 02:11am PT
bump this thread
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2010 - 01:52pm PT
And he just won Rip Curl Pro Portugal!

Will Jody catch him?
I'm just stoked that whiner Andy Irons isn't in the hunt...
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Oct 14, 2010 - 03:56pm PT
Slater, are you 'the' Slater?

I surfed with K. Slater twice. Once in July 1987 or 1988 at 2nd jetty Cape Hatteras. There was this kid absolutely shredding the north side of 2nd jetty, but so were a bunch of other ESA groms. But this one kid stood a lightyear above anyone else. I was surfing the bowled up lefts on the south side of the same jetty and often just found myself just watching this kid. So I get out of the water and I'm in the old Lighthouse parking lot packing up and this Flordian beach-bum kind of guy starts frothing about this kid 'Kelly Slater' and how he's going to win a world title. I was just kind of like, ok old man, go back to your wine box and leave me alone.

The other instance was at Soup Bowls in Barbados around April 1994 or 1995. We got to Soup Bowls mid-afternoon before the trade winds eased up. There was only one guy out and my buddy and I decided to invade his soul session. Jump in rip and begin the paddle around the reef. Out of the corner of my right eye I see something big and out of place flying out of the surf about 10 feet away. Freaked me out so bad I almost rolled off my board. Anyway, that guy just punted a huge air almost over the top of us. He didn't land it, but he probably flew 20 horizontally and was at least 8 or 10 feet over the wave. Of course, it was Kelly Slater.

Looks like #10 is just about in the bag. Will probably win it in PR or maybe @ Pipe. I'd like to see him win #10 in PR and then just focus on the Hawaii Triple Crown as a capping achievement in an incredible career. Because I'm guessing he's onto more board design, world travel and surf movies after this year.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Oct 14, 2010 - 06:00pm PT
Ken "skindog" Collins wrote on fb:
Kelly Slater wants in the Mavericks Event this year. He saw Dorian kill it out there and make a solid move to get in the contest. And now he wants a slice of Mavericks Pie!!!! Sh#t is going DOWN this year!!!
drljefe

climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
Oct 14, 2010 - 09:32pm PT
Slates...
still blowin' minds.
He's a freak.

Gotta say, though, he get's overscored a lot. Seen it with my own eyes.

How bout that 10 mil bonus from Quick?
Randall_C

Trad climber
Flagstaff, AZ
Oct 15, 2010 - 01:59am PT
Riding Giants has excellent footage from The Pipe, Waimea Bay, Teahupoo and Mavericks.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbPsCikHLVQ

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3TZ_cIBhbc&feature=related

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2LNsnoK9X4&feature=related

Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs152hngQV0&feature=related

Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCMi2c71kPY&feature=related

Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=supBlDnqZk8&feature=related

Part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXdCrhdTcTc&feature=related

Part 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB6tjitZA5Y&feature=related

Part 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5ASlKqnxa4&feature=related

Part 10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVO3Gq2yzG8&feature=related

Grab some popcorn, beer and enjoy!
Ricardo Cabeza

climber
All Over.
Oct 15, 2010 - 02:48pm PT
I'm a bad surfer, but it seems like the comparison between sports should be surfing/ big mountain skiing.

The speed, the adapting to your conditions, it's uncanny.

Ever hit 80mph through a chute into crud?

Your synapses fire on all eight, you hit a little bump and at the speed you're going, you fly for sixty feet at least. But you keep it in check.

Climbing is all fitness, commitment, and balls.

Big mountain skiing is all speed, knowledge, and balls.

Surfing is fitness, knowledge, and balls.

Surfing and big mountain skiing better capture the commitment and fast twitch muscle response that we're talking about.

Climbing doesn't compare to surfing on an athletic level.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 15, 2010 - 02:59pm PT
Randall! Shoooot now I"m never gonna get any work done!

;) thank you!

Just psyched for the guy, for the sport, and it makes the tour interesting to watch.
I imagine when he's gone it won't be as interesting... like when Tiger dropped off the PGA or Lance Armstrong was done cycling after his string of wins.

This feat is likely to go unrepeated for a looooooooong time.

climb on... and surf when it's good!

TS
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Oct 15, 2010 - 03:43pm PT
I would add to the subject of comparing surfing to other sports the following. I have done both tons of surfing and tons of climbing. Combined, 91 years.

Surfing is really unique in that not only are you yourself speeding (like crazy often) but so is the wave and to some extent the whole area you are in---- currents, wind, backwash, cross-swells, chop, not to mention other surfers. The whole thing---- you and nature--- are moving a whole lot and not “together”. You can’t like stop any place at all as you often can in big skiing; you are locked in and you will be punished horribly or killed, at least in big waves, should you decide to take a rest or check out what is developing below as you can in chutes and some of the convolutions of mountains. Both sports practiced in to their extremes of course are just flat-out amazing and hard to do well in. Surfing is particularly complex in that so many separate "frames" of movement are taking place that you must address.
crøtch

climber
Oct 15, 2010 - 03:59pm PT
Indeed, Peter. In bigger surf you can easily get "locked in" to a wave and have to see it through to the end. Like bouldering an irreversible sequence in the no-fall zone. I think that surfing and climbing are most similar with regard to the state of mind that can be attained when you are in the thick of it.
Ricardo Cabeza

climber
All Over.
Oct 15, 2010 - 04:14pm PT
Peter, I was alluding to what you wrote about.

When you ski a steep mountain, you chase the dragon.

when you surf a heavy wave, the dragon chases you.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Oct 16, 2010 - 12:04am PT
another example of why Kelly is such an interesting surfing artist:

Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Oct 28, 2010 - 10:58pm PT
Kelly is now going to be at Mavericks per his email to the new organizers:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/csaatsaz/detail?entry_id=75731&tsp=1
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 6, 2010 - 06:06pm PT
Well he did it... he just won his 10th world title.
Amazing.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Nov 6, 2010 - 11:44pm PT
Well he did it... he just won his 10th world title.
Amazing.


Did you watch the heats? He put DeSouza down in the first two minutes by going 9.0, 9.87 in the quarters. That was sweet. Then he gets a 8.10 as a throw away score.

BTW, Wilderness [Puerto Rico] is a great surf spot. All kinds of peaks up and down about a 1/2 mile of reef and it works great from 2' to 20'. Not that I've been out there at 20'. It really spreads the crowd out nicely. When it gets bigger from 8' and up, and the Rip Curl Pro wasn't big, that place gets very difficult to get out of the water. You have heaving slabs dumping on dry reef encrusted with barnacles and lots of urchins. You have to ride the top of a heave directly onto the really shallow reef where there are a lot less of the pointy and sharp things. Then run! I gotta get back there ;)
Esparza

Trad climber
Westminster, CA
Nov 7, 2010 - 09:43am PT
Slater is true to form. A living legend that will be looked upon with further amazement as the future progresses. I remember back in 1990ish when I would watch him on the old school surf channel H30 here is So Cal. I was 16/17 back then and my buddies and I would be like, "Who is this guy?" We would watch VHS tapes and get all pumped up and head out for night sessions at the HB Pier.... Fun times!

Here is a great slide show from the Puerto Rico Rip Curl Pro. Check out his shack on the video (slide 2). Also, Taj Burrows sick wave video (slide 14).

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/kelly-slater-wins-10th-world-title-takes-down-durbidge-to-win-rip-curl-pro-search_49682/

I am psyched to go get wet now!
Butoou

Sport climber
Malibu
Nov 13, 2010 - 09:36am PT
http://blog.quiksilver.com/surf_blog/ks10-wallpaper/?ref=nf
Broken

climber
Texas
Nov 13, 2010 - 01:00pm PT
Though he dominated another sport not open to the masses, Steve Redgrave should at least be mentioned for his combination of top level performance and longevity.

It is funny to see the vehemence with which people defend "their" sports.

The problem here is largely definitional. What do you mean by "athlete"?

Tell me that, and I'll give my opinion of who fits the parameters...


By default, I tend to agree with Donini. A field where the competition is deep and multi-cultural is most likely to yield the best athlete strictly from a probability standpoint.

Are women and men separate (I've seen no women mentioned on this thread)?

How do we compare Gretzky with Jim Thorpe? Babe Didrickson Zaharias with Michael Jordan? Jackie Joyner Kersee with Eddy Merckx? Bubka with Karelin?

Dave Winfield: Baseball hall-of-famer and only guy drafted in three sports (football, baseball, basketball)

Hard to top Jim Brown - historically great football player, perhaps the best running back of all time. All-american lacrosse in college. Great high school/collegiate basketball player. top 5 nationally in the decathalon. Could have been pro baseball player and/or pro boxer.

Of course, American football isn't exactly an international sport. And, I suppose, America is one of the few countries with so many thriving sports leagues.

You almost have to make soccer its own category...

Would you consider an endurance / power endurance athlete to be the greatest if he/she had abominable hand eye coordination?


pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
May 20, 2011 - 12:27pm PT
recent surf pic's
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetunes/
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2011 - 12:16am PT
Brazil... on the "dream tour"

seriously?
did you see that slop?

I just hope SF really goes big or that'll be a cold foggy waste of time.
Isn't NY on the tour this year as well?

Takin' some risks this year...
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2011 - 01:33am PT
Silver... you're a lucky guy! Make the most! go hit Family Housings, Majors, Kini Kinis and Polahali for me! That whole island is insane! You're in paradise!

AI = respect, he could shred.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
May 24, 2011 - 03:29am PT
Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh...
the islands.
o-man

Trad climber
Paia,Maui,HI
May 24, 2011 - 06:26am PT
Silver, Uncle Pat Caldwell says,
OAHU-
700 PM HST MON MAY 23 2011

HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES

Surf along south facing shores will be 5 to 8 feet Tuesday.

Uncle Glen James says this for us on Maui and Kauai has the same #s as well
Maalaea Bay: 2+ Hawaiian
Lahaina: 2-3+ Hawaiian
Note: Wave face readings are approximately twice the surf forecast numbers indicated in the tables above.

South shores - A south-southwest swell will continue, reaching high surf advisory levels into Wednesday…slowly lowering through Thursday and Friday. A new somewhat smaller south swell will arrive by this coming weekend.
It looks like good south shore surfing for a while if those strong trades don't wrap around mess it up.

Sounds like I should put surfboards in the truck tomorrow and go over to the south side!

Were you on island for the north swell last Friday?
I wave sailed logo to mast high all afternoon. What a late season treat!

RIP A.I.
steve shea

climber
May 24, 2011 - 11:56am PT
About ten years ago a "survival of the fittest" was held in europe. This was not some made for tv reality bs. The field consisted of two man teams representing a variety of sports, all at a world class level. Soccer, Hockey, Track and Field, Nordic Ski Racing, Surfing... I think Hamilton may have been on the surf team, Cycling etc. They were all tested in speed, endurance, quickness and coordination events. All of these designed to be way outside each athlete's comfort zone. The winners were alpine ski racers by a wide margin. Alberto Tomba who was already a year or two off the World Cup and his teammate was Hermann Maier, the guy who was upsidedown at about 80 mph on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2011 - 12:34pm PT
Silver... oooh Pine Trees... almost forgot about that place! I had a great day there with my buddy Marc Kunze. It can be 2' and you can still get dredging head dips! We surfed for like 3hours, got out and ran down the street and ate, then got back out there for another 2.5 hours. Rad fun, wicked current sometimes. Super pretty...

I hear ya... when i get back from the Islands I drive slower and less bothers me...

Enjoy every second.
TrundleBum

Trad climber
Las Vegas
Jul 20, 2011 - 04:51pm PT

Don't forget the "Duke"

Or the Fact that 'Eddie would go'


There have been so many amazing water men over the years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter Haan:

1. Love the pic of Teahupoo. It shows just how hard that wave sucks. It is drawing water off the reef ahead of it, it jacks so hard.
I have a friend that calls mega, hard hitting, breaks like that:
"below sea level breaks"
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Jul 20, 2011 - 06:05pm PT
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 20, 2011 - 08:11pm PT
Is he skipping J-Bay or will he pull a Curren phantom move and show up for round two and blow through the competition and win it?
Any bets?
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 8, 2011 - 12:57am PT
... oh and he just won the mens Open in Huntington. Any bets for the title?
I still hope Parko goes big but where was he this contest?!
aspendougy

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Aug 8, 2011 - 01:27am PT
Dara Torres competed in five Olympics, not dominating, but it is much harder to stay on top in a mainstream Olympic sport. Surfing for recreation is large in terms of numbers, but for competition the pool of athletes is very very small.
rurprider

Trad climber
Mt. Rubidoux
Aug 8, 2011 - 03:19am PT
Try Bruce Jenner, Lynn Hill, Jim Thorpe, Babe Didrikson Zaharies, Mark Spitz, Seabiscuit. Loads of all-around athletes that are/were head and shoulders above Kelly Slater.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Aug 8, 2011 - 04:31am PT
Seabiscuit!

Not entirely disagreeing but how long were the atheletes you mentioned dominating and at the top of their field?

Hot new surfers are like sharks teeth, there are rows and rows of them, they just keep coming and getting sharper.
And for almost 20 years Kelly has been considered the best surfer in the world.
We've waited for years for the " next Kelly Slater". He hasn't materialized. Not in terms of competitive results, style, longevity, or just plain freakish talent
In a "sport" that is very difficult to judge, and with an ever changing and progessing talent field, Kelly has proven himself to be one of the best competitive atheletes of all time.
Surfers just don't get the credit they "deserve".
It is defnitely odd to put a surfer or surfing in the same running as Bruce Jenner and track and field or boxing, but if we're talking results and longevity, the case is pretty clear.

There are surfers I like more than Kelly Slater.
But no one blows my mind like kelly has.




east side underground

Trad climber
Hilton crk,ca
Aug 8, 2011 - 10:38am PT
Let's see Bruce Jenner paddle into that cloudbreak bomb
T2

climber
Cardiff by the sea
Aug 8, 2011 - 11:40am PT
Hot new surfers are like sharks teeth, there are rows and rows of them, they just keep coming and getting sharper.
And for almost 20 years Kelly has been considered the best surfer in the world.
We've waited for years for the " next Kelly Slater". He hasn't materialized. Not in terms of competitive results, style, longevity, or just plain freakish talent
In a "sport" that is very difficult to judge, and with an ever changing and progessing talent field, Kelly has proven himself to be one of the best competitive atheletes of all time.
Surfers just don't get the credit they "deserve".
It is defnitely odd to put a surfer or surfing in the same running as Bruce Jenner and track and field or boxing, but if we're talking results and longevity, the case is pretty clear.

There are surfers I like more than Kelly Slater.
But no one blows my mind like kelly has.





Well said drljefe
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 8, 2011 - 12:11pm PT
Bruce Jenner? Seriously? I know the guy, he practiced on the track across the street from where I grew up. Super cool guy, and nice to us kids too. But he was a hell of an athlete for a short period of time.
Now he's a Kardashian right?

Hot new surfers are like sharks teeth, there are rows and rows of them, they just keep coming and getting sharper.
And for almost 20 years Kelly has been considered the best surfer in the world.

Perfectly said. And right after Shark Week... nice touch. Bonus points.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Aug 9, 2011 - 04:43am PT
I have been in the water when KS was out, at Trestles, Rincon, and Malibu. Really cool to watch in person.
Even Kelly gets burned at crowded pointbreaks! Difference is, he'll bottom turn around the snake and do a carving 360 around them.
Literally surfing circles around people.

No burning at Lowers, that's where I've seem him go most mental. And like a stoked grom, i can say, "I've sprayed Slater!"

I hope the f*#ker keeps winning, just cuz. Doesn't really matter anyway. All those guys make dough and live the life. So you didn't win, again. Oh well, you still make 7 figures and travel the globe...surfing. All on a jr.high education.
P.Rob

Social climber
Aug 9, 2011 - 11:37am PT
Determining and labeling The Greatest Athlete really does seem to be the proverbial pissing match. I have seen and been acquainted with unsung heroes of the street participating in games with such talent and ability that they definitely would have to be labeled world class, and they do what they do in relative obscurity. And the need to compare likes with likes also needs consideration.

That being said, it is my conviction that Dan Gable, Gold Medal wrestler in the ’72 Munich Olympics, achieved one of the greatest International records ever; defeating 7 world class opponents in route to the gold WITHOUT A SINGLE POINT SCORED AGAINST HIM. I do acknowledge that Kelly is far pretty the Gable .
big ears

Trad climber
?
Aug 9, 2011 - 11:57am PT
not gonna argue he is the best athlete of all time, but maybe most bad ass/ least likely athlete of all time?

First person to complete a loop on a skateboard, orginator of the disaster, destroys pools, and a damn good punk singer. All of this while generally blacked out drunk, or tweaked on meth. From what I hear he has been sober for a few years now. 50 years old and still wrecking his body skating pools. (if anyone has ever ridden pools, it is the HARDEST thing i have ever attempted).

Duane "the master of disaster" Peters!
P.Rob

Social climber
Aug 9, 2011 - 12:19pm PT
I truly remembers Duane Peters, witnessed the 360 loop in a barnstorming skate show back in the 70’s. I do believe Jay Adams can be mentioned in the same breath. My relationship with skating goes back over 40 years and the love and respect for the sport is as great as any.

In fact one could argue that skating, both the culture and the sport, has influenced & brought surfing, rollerblading, skiing, snowboarding, freestyle motor cross, etc, etc. into the 21st century.

Just browse and gander at the names & tricks performed in all those sports and you see they came directly from skating. So bringing this diatribe to an end, the logical conclusion is that Duane Peters just might be Kelly’s daddy.
big ears

Trad climber
?
Aug 9, 2011 - 12:29pm PT
i agree one hundred percent about skating/ skate culture influencing surfing and snowboarding. without skateboarding there would be no halfpipes or parkstyle snowboarding.

Arguably, without surfing, skateboarding would never have been. But on the flipside, without skating, its doubtful that people would be getting air on surfboards. ( I could be talking out my ass here, i know very little about surfing culture. Just picked up a bit here and there from when i lived in folarida for a few years.)
P.Rob

Social climber
Aug 9, 2011 - 12:33pm PT
I always saw it as a case of the son reaching back and influencing Pops to reach to a new level.
FRUMY

Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
Aug 9, 2011 - 02:55pm PT
JIM THORPE.
Nothing against Kelly Slater. Best surfer I've ever seen.
FRUMY

Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
Aug 9, 2011 - 04:19pm PT
Big ears that's the funniest & one of the best quotes I've ever seen. Please post it on the
favorite quotes thread.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2011 - 11:43pm PT
So he just won his 47th contest (out of 67) in the biggest contest surf at Teahupoo. His case just gets stronger.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Aug 30, 2011 - 12:53am PT
I just can't fuking believe that no one has mentioned me in this thread. wtf.
Bruce Morris

Social climber
Belmont, California
Aug 30, 2011 - 03:28am PT
This argument makes it sound like democracy and democratic values are some kind of summum bonum, ultimate good. Let's hope not!
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Aug 30, 2011 - 08:29am PT
So he just won his 47th contest (out of 67) in the biggest contest surf at Teahupoo. His case just gets stronger.

Slater has now won two contests this season. His theory is that the world champ needs to win three contests to mathematically lock up title. No one else has won more than one contest. Still waiting for the official ASP numbers to be posted.

EDIT: Current ASP rankings after Tahiti


How'd you like his backwards, feet first, over-the-falls move late against Owen Wright on a solid 8 footer? I was shocked that Slater was able to paddle away from that one. I think he was lucky that the tide was up.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 12:03am PT
Dora Lives

Da Cat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tchHtWNZkDE

I like when the pissed off sissy tries to hit him with a rock
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 9, 2011 - 12:36pm PT
he just lost to Owen Wright (he's gonna be a force on tour I think). By losing I mean he got 2nd and only 100K.

He didn't look like himself in the final. Owen was always out front, getting the best waves, Kelly's board looked too short (he broke it in the final minutes) and he never got going. He looked asleep almost. Owen was blasting it though.

Title is gonna be close this year. The new kids are showing up strong.
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Sep 9, 2011 - 01:28pm PT
dude, but how about his giant 360 in the semi finals? Whoa! and who knew NY could pump like that??
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 21, 2011 - 04:26pm PT
NY pumps during hurricane season. Just glad Trestles is pumping fun sized waves too. California is holding its own. The pros love this venue.

... and now he's in the finals of the Hurley Pro against Owen Wright (again... they've been in the last 3 finals straight together!). Kelly should bring a torch and pass it ...

who's gonna win?
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 21, 2011 - 10:13pm PT
Dude he won again and it looks like his 11th is his to lose.
Paul Smith

Gym climber
thytr
Sep 21, 2011 - 10:34pm PT
nice pic
:D
__
Watch Zookeeper Online Free
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Nov 2, 2011 - 11:21pm PT
Clinched #11 at OB

Go the Slates!
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
Nov 2, 2011 - 11:23pm PT
who was dishin on kelly?

thats like, OMG!
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Nov 2, 2011 - 11:29pm PT
Unbelievable..

They should ban him already.

We'll see how his new line of wave pools works out. Climbing gym of the surf world?

http://www.kswaveco.com/
Reggaemylitis

Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Nov 2, 2011 - 11:32pm PT
Ke11y is ridiculous. Youngest and oldest world champion in his sport. Who else can say that?
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
Nov 3, 2011 - 12:15am PT
greg lemond?

Reggaemylitis

Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Nov 3, 2011 - 12:32am PT
The Alpine, that sounds like what the Ron Jon's Wave Pool in Orlando was trying to accomplish and ultimately failed at miserably. Hopefully Slater wouldn't attach his name to something as unlikely to work as that thing.

http://www.surfingmagazine.com/news/thats-bullsh#t-chapter-1-jimmy-wilson-082208/

And "Cycling" isn't a sport Sporck, it's a front for guys in spandex to shoot needles in each other's asses! ;)


Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2011 - 12:48pm PT

He did it again.
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Nov 3, 2011 - 10:47pm PT
He was killing it yesterday at Ocean Beach. Perfect day for spectator sports.

bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Nov 3, 2011 - 10:54pm PT
Which Ocean Beach? That don't look like San Diego.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Nov 3, 2011 - 10:56pm PT
Alas, that is always the case with sports. The younger guys have strong muscles and a younger body. It becomes a test of experience versus strength.

Lois sweetheart, you need to study the history of Himalayan climbing before you make such pronouncements.
T2

climber
Cardiff by the sea
Nov 3, 2011 - 11:37pm PT
Which Ocean Beach? That don't look like San Diego.

San Francisco
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Jun 12, 2012 - 01:14pm PT
Slater going for title #12? Just won the Volcom Fii pro @ Tavarua with impressive backside tube riding. Is now 2nd behind Mick Fanning. And Slater is 40 years old.


the Fet

climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
Jun 12, 2012 - 01:55pm PT
Wow the waves in Fiji they had to postpone the contest for were SICK!

http://www.grindtv.com/surf/video/figi_volcom/

Check out the guy going over the falls in the background at 1:23, shit!
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
Jun 12, 2012 - 02:15pm PT
I watched almost the whole Fiji event and it was off the hook!
Kelly has his work cut out for him if he intends to take the world title again this year.
There is some very young and extremely talented competitors on the tour.
Kelly is looking fit, relaxed and extremely confident.
I believe he'll get-er-done.

Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Sep 20, 2012 - 09:47pm PT
Slater won the Hurley Pro @ Lower Trestles today. Now in 3rd with four events to go. Basically has to beat Fanning and Parko in every event and be close to Florence and De Souza for the rest of the year to win world title #12.

2012 ASP Mens World Title
1 Fanning,Mick 41250
2 Parkinson,Joel 39700
3 Slater,Kelly 35450
4 Florence,John John 32650
5 De Souza,Adriano 30650
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
Sep 21, 2012 - 03:06pm PT
zBrown

Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
Sep 21, 2012 - 03:11pm PT
Does Kelly dope?

michaeld

Sport climber
Sacramento
Sep 21, 2012 - 03:12pm PT
Kelly is dope.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 21, 2012 - 11:36pm PT

50 career wins now.

Mind blowing.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Oct 5, 2012 - 10:48am PT
51 wins, now. He just won the quiksilver france pro. Slater is now in 2nd, only a hair behind parko. 3 events to go. Who would bet against Slater to win number 12, now?
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
Oct 5, 2012 - 04:54pm PT
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 18, 2012 - 07:15pm PT
Congrats Parko!

I actually wanted him to win this year.
A family man, 3 kids! Dang, way to go!

Kelly just got screwed by mother nature.
No waves came in his heat with Kerr, but that's how it goes.

I'm sure he's not too bothered by it either.

If he wants #12, it'll come if he hangs out long enough.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Mar 13, 2013 - 01:08pm PT
Kelly Slater starts the 2013 world title hunt with a big win at the Quiksilver Gold Coast Pro...

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/kelly-slater-wins-quiksilver-pro-gold-coast_93858/

Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Mar 13, 2013 - 02:55pm PT
it's wonderful, isn't it. Here he is at 41, the oldest top contender currently competing, and is leading so far once again, maybe headed for a 12th world title.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Mar 13, 2013 - 03:29pm PT
The semis of the Gold Coast event were awesome. Kelly needed an 8 point something and got a 10 in the final minutes.

Peter, it's a bit too early to call don't you think? : -)

I'm sure everyone on tour has mixed feelings. On one hand you wish Slater would just go away so you could have a chance at winning but at the same time he forces everybody to step up their game and the level surfing overall.
I love routing for him AND against him.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Mar 13, 2013 - 03:55pm PT
Yeah same here Jefe. It is quite funny actually having a guy out there that is twice as old as John John and is really quite an important talent and force still. But he deserves to be there for sure. Great contest; followed the whole thing. It is a very long road though from here to the end of the series for sure!
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Mar 14, 2013 - 10:27am PT

Did you see Kelly ruthlessly use his priority against Parko?
This could have been the wave that Parko needed for the comeback.
Kelly's a master strategist as well as a freakish surfer.
miwuksurfer

Social climber
Mi-Wuk
Mar 14, 2013 - 11:08am PT
That photo makes me sad.

Guess I don't know what it takes to be a pro surfer but I do know that I have enough alarms and clocks in my life that I don't need one to tell me when to start and stop surfing.
kennyt

climber
Woodfords,California
Mar 14, 2013 - 11:10am PT
Fckin shoulder hopper!!
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Mar 14, 2013 - 12:44pm PT
We went out to the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach a few weeks ago.

Yeah, Bill Murray was in good form. But we ended up following Slater. That fugger can kick the crap out of that ball! Shiz, a scratch golfer among his other talents. Kind as all get-out too, so nice to the fans. Yeah, nice lifestyle.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
May 29, 2013 - 08:18am PT
Slater in CNN today...

Kelly Slater: 'Surfing is my religion'

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/29/sport/kelly-slater-surfing-waves/index.html?hpt=hp_c4
Brandon-

climber
The Granite State.
Jun 11, 2013 - 09:25pm PT
...Just won the Fiji Pro again.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Jun 11, 2013 - 09:40pm PT
I know, and he won by a clear margin and awesome mastery. I have been watching the Volcom since the start. Kelly is an all-time surfing genius. Double "10's" in a single heat... again one in the finals.

Next is Bali. It must be so frustrating for the younger and nearly as immense talents coming up that this old guy (41) won't go away and keeps winning many of the contests, leaving them no place in the sun.

The equivalent in climbing would be if Robbins could still climb at the top of the game, now 5.14 & 5.15 and still could hog the Valley and most points far beyond like Patagonia and the Himalayas.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Jun 12, 2013 - 08:07am PT
It must be so frustrating for the younger and nearly as immense talents coming up that this old guy (41) won't go away and keeps winning many of the contests, leaving them no place in the sun.

I love this. I'm kind of the same way, until I wake up.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Jun 12, 2013 - 10:31am PT
Kelly can keep winning for all I care. He is better than lance berkheart.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Aug 18, 2013 - 11:14pm PT
Billabong Tahiti Pro 2013... burned on a priority call that might have cost Slater the contest in the final. Regardless, Slater is now world number 1 and on track for possibly world title number 12.

Slater's favorite event is next, the Trestles contest, right in Orange County California just north of Camp Pendleton. Should be exciting.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Aug 18, 2013 - 11:27pm PT
Yes! Gunkie!

He is rolling.
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Dec 14, 2013 - 10:26am PT
Pipe finals today (rd5, qf, sf, f)

http://vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com/billabongpipemasters2013/live

Slater could still win his 12th title if Fanning loses in the 5th round or quarter finals and Slater wins out. Slater have moved straight to the QF and Fanning has a 5th round match-up with CJ Hobgood. Could be very interesting, but I think Fanning is on a roll and wins his 3rd title. But I think Slater makes the final against John John Florence in an epic battle in double overhead, 2nd reef, cracking pipe surf.
bjj

climber
beyond the sun
Dec 14, 2013 - 01:17pm PT
He's amazing, but as noted, the talent pool is very small.

I liken it to climbing in the prior to the mid 80's. The guys who were the best were ones who happened to live near good outdoor rock. Some guy with incredible genetic (and other types of) potential who spent his whole life in the flat lands would never have had occasion to try it at a young age and get hooked. Imagine if John Gill or Bachar grew up and then lived their whole life in Omaha Nebraska.

Then came climbing gyms and now there is the opportunity for so many more people to at least get some taste of what pulling down is like. So now we have an explosion of talent being exposed to the sport in some degree.

Until some kind of surfing wave simulator becomes as common place as rock gyms, we won't have anything but the big fish / small pond syndrome of surfing, IMO.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Dec 14, 2013 - 08:49pm PT
Kelly Slater, once again Champion Billabong Pipe Masters just now. What a genius and very cool person.
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
Dec 14, 2013 - 08:50pm PT
Slater rules. He crushed it at Pipe.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 15, 2013 - 12:46am PT
Gunkie... way to call it!
If you lose the world title, at least win the event! That's gotta help!
Leggs

Sport climber
Tucson, AZ
Dec 15, 2013 - 01:09am PT
Kelly = imaginary boyfriend #2

:)
stevep

Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
Dec 15, 2013 - 01:35am PT
Pretty damn amazing that he is still charging this hard after 20+ years. Very, very few people manage to stay on top that long.

As for talent pool, it's not that small. I'd bet there are more surfers in Southern CA then there are climbers in the entire world.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Dec 15, 2013 - 11:17am PT
Yeah, the notion that the population of surfers is really small is an oblivious one. And I should note that next year some of the contests are going "general population" in their approach for the first time. Their numbers are showing it will work and viewership as well is apparently huge.

http://www.statisticbrain.com/surfing-statistics/


Source: International Surfing Association, Boardtrac, All About Surfboards, Ezine Articles
Date Verified: 4.5.2012
Surfing Statistics

Estimate population of American surfers (surf at least once a year) 1,736,000
Estimate number of surfers worldwide 23 million
Longest amount of time spent surfing one wave 37 minutes
Average weight of the original design for a surfboard 100 pounds
Most money made by a surfer in a single year – Kelly Slater, 2009 $3 million
Height of the biggest wave ever recorded 1740 ft.
Record number of people surfing tandem on a single board 47
Record number of people to surf the same wave simultaneously 103
Average cost for a bar of surf wax $1.50
Surfing Industry Revenue Statistics  
Surfing industry revenue in 2010 $6.24 billion
Surfing industry revenue in 2008 $7.22 billion
Hard good sales in 2010 (surfboards, skateboards, and accessories) $1.46 billion
Wetsuit sales in 2010 $110.4 million
Footwear sales in 2010 $1.5 billion
Stand up Paddleboard (SUP) sales in 2010 $14.5 million
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Feb 6, 2014 - 11:27pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
Feb 7, 2014 - 01:01am PT
Right on Kelly!
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
Feb 7, 2014 - 01:28am PT
The dude is playing golf at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am this week!
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
Feb 7, 2014 - 02:32am PT
RESPECT!!
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Oct 2, 2014 - 12:50pm PT
Slater on CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/sport/kelly-slater-surfing-ocean-conservation/index.html?hpt=hp_c4
Gunkie

Trad climber
East Coast US
Oct 17, 2014 - 11:47am PT
Want your mind blown? A 42 year-old doing this!

[Click to View YouTube Video]
BruceAnderson

Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
Oct 17, 2014 - 12:00pm PT
Yep, mind blown. Best athlete ever.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Oct 17, 2014 - 01:16pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]

Kelly Slater best surfer video shot by my me Me!
Had the luck to see him surf Malibu's big Wednesday!
Leggs

Sport climber
Made in California
Oct 17, 2014 - 01:22pm PT
F*#king Slater... love him...
And his comment about John John... classic.


Mad respect for Slater, as well as Kelly's fellow surfers, who were in awe, and not shy about it.
Gunkie

Trad climber
Valles Marineris
Jun 16, 2016 - 04:50am PT
Yesterday @ age 44

[Click to View YouTube Video]
Gunkie

Trad climber
Valles Marineris
Aug 25, 2016 - 03:12pm PT
Again at age 44 in outrageous waves in Tahiti Slater wins the event, scores four perfect waves (10) and two in the same heat for the 9th perfect heat in professional surfing history, 3rd of his career.

[Click to View YouTube Video]
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