Slater’s revival but Freestone’s surge
THE field has been turned upside down in the World Surf League event in Bali with frontrunners John Florence, Gabriel Medina and defending champion Italo Ferreira all crashing out in the round of 32.
Our very own Jack Freestone, fresh from taking out the Red Bull Airborne final prior to the main event, was responsible for extinguishing Brazil’s fireball Ferreira.
Freestone is from Tugun – not Tweed Heads, as listed on the live webcast – where he is based with his beautiful surfing partner Alana Blanchard and their baby boy Banks. Unfortunately his run was broken by Jeremy Flores in the round of 16 but Freestone will improve his ratings up from 23.
The world title race and the top 10 have been condensed into a new list of contenders including the world’s greatest, 47-year-old Kelly Slater, who out-powered and out-surfed Tahitian powerhouse Michel “The Spartan” Bourez in round four. Previously rated 14th, Slater will move into the top 10.
It was vintage Slater who turned on the power, flare and his patent wraparound torque cutback to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Obviously feeling good and staying in the zone, the 11-time champion was fully on his game, focusing on his ability.
“It’s easy to get distracted and worry about other people,” said the greatest of all time. “Focus on what you can do and on the waves you’ve got. Little bits of magic can happen.”
And happen they did. The big question is, can Kelly go all the way? He faces hot Brazilian prospect Filipe Toledo, seen as the fastest and most gifted aerial surfer of modern times. The GOAT will have to be at his best and hope the Bali gods are in his corner.
The two underdogs are Gold Coast-based and former NSW Central Coaster Wade Carmichael, who exudes fullon power gouging turns that have been consistently rewarded by the judges, and Kanoa Igarashi, who is producing his best surfing to date
The Japanese warrior with the ultra-shiny blond hair is Japan’s high hopes for winning the first Olympic gold medal in surfing at next year’s 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and a win at Keramas would see him make the top 10.
The Surfline swell forecast is fair for today and tomorrow, with a new SSW swell is on the rise for Friday.
FOCUS ON WHAT Y0U CAN DO. LITTLE BITS OF MAGIC CAN HAPPEN KELLY SLATER