Long live the King
HOW many 45-year-olds nursing a broken foot injury, carrying a respiratory flu, could win an opening heat at the Billabong Pipeline Masters against the best surfers in the World?
Simple answer is none – that is unless you’re Kelly Slater.
Six months of recovering from a freakish surfing accident at “Super Tubes” during a warm-up for the South African Jeffrey’s Bay World Tour event, the man they call the GOAT was back at work.
“I’m about 65 per cent,” said Slater, limping like a wounded warrior after a heat in which he was able to suppress a challenge from French rookie of the year Joan Duru.
“I’ve missed it and it’s good to be back. Having some time off has helped, although I came down with the flu last week and was only 50/50 for surfing in the Pipe.”
Slater’s record at Pipe is second to none. He has won seven titles at the most prestigious surfing event there is.
Calling him Mr Pipeline is respectable but King of Pipe is way more fitting.
He’s been a game- changer at Pipeline from the ’90s.
Instead of using his backhand to ride the traditional left-hander barrel, he changed up the tempo by registering 10-point rides on the right-hander known as Backdoor, suiting his left foot forward natural stance.
In the ’70s Pipe was dominated by the goofy foots like the original Mr Pipeline, Gerry Lopez, but Slater’s era ushered in the new realm of natural footers including his great nemesis and former winner, the late Andy Irons.
In the opening round heat, it didn’t take Slater long to position himself in the tube (left-hander) for a 7.17 out of 10 points and while Duru responded with a 7.23, Slater answered by surfing under the hood of a Backdoor barrel scoring a 5.30 to shut the gate and move to Round 3.
As one commentator said of Slater’s performance when he ducked and tucked under the ledge: “He was shaving his head without using a razor.”
This year hasn’t been the best for Robert Kelly Slater.
He began with a creditable fifth at Snapper Rocks, beaten by Gabriel Medina, and then fell in a rut, with equal 17th at Margaret’s and Bells, sidestepped Brazil and another 17th in Fiji.
The greatest surfer in the world was in danger of not requalifying for 2018 despite saying 2017 would be his last year of fulltime competition.
So what’s left for the King? Well, certainly another Pipe trophy wouldn’t go astray – and the ability to be a world title spoiler at Pipeline.
He issued an ominous warning to the contenders.
“I’m so glad I’m back and involved in this event and if I come up against the world title guys, they better be ready,” he said.
Two of the contenders, No.1 and local favourite John John Florence, and No.3 Jordy Smith of South Africa, won their opening heats to cruise into Round 3 but Brazil’s Gabriel Medina and Coolum’s Julian Wilson will have to battle it out in Round 2, the sudden death round.
IF I COME UP AGAINST THE WORLD TITLE GUYS, THEY BETTER BE READY KELLY SLATER’S WARNING