WE’LL SEE YOU SLATER: KING KELLY WILL BE COMPETING IN AUSSIE EVENTS
SURFING legend Kelly Slater has dropped the strongest hint yet that he has been vaccinated against Covid-19 and will surf at Bells Beach this Easter after initially refusing to disclose his vaccination status.
Slater declared this week that he would compete in the two Australian events on the World Surf League calendar, and the league has confirmed he had not applied for an exemption to enter the country unvaccinated.
The 50-year-old stunned the surfing and sporting world last week when he snared his 56th career title at Pipeline in Hawaii.
Slater’s refusal to disclose his vaccination status had thrown doubt over his ability to clinch a 12th world title this year, given he would need to have had the jab to enter Australia and compete at WSL events in Victoria and WA this autumn.
The iconic Bells Beach event is returning for the first time since 2019, after being abandoned because of the pandemic.
In January, Slater spoke out against the Australian government’s handling of the Novak Djokovic vaccination saga and appeared to question whether the Covid-19 vaccine was effective.
But Slater appears to either have already received or made plans to receive the jab, as he confirmed he would surf in Australia this year.
“I’ll see you in Australia,” Slater told Reuters from Hawaii.
“(My vaccination status) is an important question, and there’s a reason I’m not talking about it that is personal … but I think my answer that I’ll see you in Australia answers that.”