Did Kelly Slater spend years cheating on Quiksilver?
The great Kelly Slater and Quiksilver were one of the finest duos in surf history. Each achieved maximum thrust through the 1990s and 2000s. Each became singularly iconic. Kelly, with his handsome tan skin and twinkling eye. Quiksilver with a logo/team/size that made pure mockery out of Billabong, Rip Curl, Hot Tuna. What would Kelly have been without Quiksilver? What would Quiksilver have been without Kelly? We sort of have the answer now, I suppose. Kelly would have been aesthetically lost. Quiksilver would have gone bankrupt. And while it is sad the two split up we’ll always have those 20 years.
How much do you think Quiksilver paid Kelly during that run? $20 million? $40 million?
Is it possible that Kelly was also secretly riding for Hurley some of that time and collecting even more money?
That would be singularly scandalous but maybe it is true. Derek Rielly pointed out the moment in the latest #tournotes the moment. Let’s recall.
First, he (Kelly) makes a crack about not being sponsored and asks whom I presume to be Bob McKnight from Quiksilver’s kid (surf industry people, correct me if I’m wrong) for money as he’s currently not sponsored.
“As you know I don’t have a sponsor…technically… any more and you know your father has sponsored me for years,” says Kelly.
The man opens his wallet and says, “I don’t think there’s much in here.”
I watched the moment twice and it is certainly not Quiksilver founder/legend Bob McKnight’s wonderful son Robbie. No. It is Hurley founder Bob’s eldest son Jeff.
Now, I guarantee that Kelly knows Robbie very well. I am certain that he wasn’t confused. Which leaves us all with only one possible conclusion as to what Kelly was talking about.
He was sponsored by Hurley for years and that sponsorship would have overlapped Kelly’s Quiksilver sponsorship. A sordid hidden affair only revealed in an unscripted, off-the-cuff moment. The fact that Quiksilver and Kelly have been broken up for some years now lessens the pain maybe, like the husband who finds out his wife was cheating post-divorce, but I must wonder if the Hurley x Kelly affair still smolders?
Do you think the greatest surfer ever will officially kick OK to the curb and join John John, Julian, Filipe and Kolohe further strengthening professional surfing’s strongest gang?
All is fair in love and war.
Watch at the 1:30 mark and note the complete lack of confusion from Jeff Hurley when Kelly says, “Your father has sponsored me for years.
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a drug that makes you loose your hair
Maybe it was like a “your mom Joke”, just talking shit.
Like “your mom sponsored me for years”
he’s on 10l of lychee kombucha daily
He’s a jenkem man
Someone needs to convince the Inertia to commission an article on the underground NS hipster Jenkem scene.
Hanging from the oaktree, how apt.
Fermented purps
Bailey’s Irish Cream Salted Caramel. Wait, does he do dairy?
..and in news just to hand, the Tokyo Olympics will have a field 20 surfers of each gender selected via a “Dog’s Breakfast” format.
20 is not a number that pares down heat by heat to a 2 person final, or even a 3 person [ie gold/ silver/ bronze] final as best I can do the sums….so its got to be a wavepool event without heats as such.
I’m not that good at sums, though.
five man Rd 1 heats, top 3 advance? still some weird shit, doesn’t bode well.
20 people all at once. Winner-est takes gold. Paddle battles to achieve priority within pre-determined 10m2 takeoff zone.
Like the old school wrestling cage match .Maybe throw in a shark , crocodile and blue bottles to give it an authentic feel and spice up the SHOW
Extra points for creative costume/ board ensemble.
BRAVO . ESTHETICS ARE SO IMPORTANT
Synchronised team round to musical theme.
Yes at night with laser light show and celebratory pyrotechnics or should the spectators just wave their i phones in the air like candles in the wind .
The main round should have random explosions of water within field. Resettable random high-pressure pulses from sea-bed installed ‘cannon’ that knock competitors off wave into flats.
Yes I can see it now . Apocalypse Now Olympic Surfing Extravaganza . Can someone from LA call Francis Ford Cappola and invite him to collaborate with the A.N.O.S.E Project . I love the smell of A.N.O.S.E in the morning . It smells like ( Olympic) victory .
let them wrap their hands in cloth, resin, and broken glass
Possible but wierd. WSL will be down on all fours lobbying for the contract to build the pool.
and Webber will claim their wave has no trough
Sounds a bit like a 5 ring circus to me .
Is true? Boxing format, perhaps. Red Bull Cape Fear in one-foot Tsurigasaki.
I think he was just awkwardly trying to cover up their gambling in front of the camera. Way more boring but.. ah shit i wish i had time to write something funny.
Aleeda, counter culture and surfers alliance paid him a handsome sum not to wear their wetsuits and clothes.
Kelly is referencing the fact that when his contract with Quick was up several years into it . He used Hurley as leverage to get more dough from Quick. Having a meeting with Bob and Bob telling him he’s worth more. Also winning Trestles and Bob adding more prize money.
Well that’s a lot different than “Your father sponsored me for years…”
It’s just Kelly being cute and sarcastic is all. No need to read into it any deeper.
Maybe Kelly was in A.A. And bob was his sponsor.
Multiple Trestles victories. At least three at Hurley’s expense.
He admitted it at Surfer Poll a few years ago. Juicy part starts at 4:45. In an unrelated note, y’all looking to hire a surf conspiracy theorist?
https://youtu.be/b8BvpyNu2F…
Boom. The plot thickens…
I don’t think Kelly is the draw he thinks he is anymore.
He’s big in the 40+ demographic. You know, the cheapskate bastards who won’t shell out for any corporate tat.
Those losers. Nothing better than getting up on a cold winters day to emblazon myself with blue below the knee length Billabong board shorts complete with Billabong wallet packed full of receipts in the small pocket down the leg to make my shorts swing eccentric as I walk with a green Volcom tshirt to let the world know I’m still rebellious and a red Quicksilver hat to let my ex-wife know I mean business as I try and get my kids attention at the footy match from the police enforced distance throwing odd shakas whilst I smoke Marlboro’s to let them know that I still surf.
Mate the velcro wallet is alright I reckon
I prefer the cheap leather ones stuffed full of Blockbuster cards, coins, receipts, a $2 scratchie, loyalty cards, no drivers license and emptiness.
Where’s your Timezone card mate don’t you know how to have fun?
Pokies mate.
too right, he’s big with golfers and boardroom beach boys
You obviously haven’t been at a comp when he’s heat is on then. The beach will be empty unless its a JJF or Kelly heat.
uh, yeah. Nobody even noticed he was gone after J-Bay
A scarf? On the beach in Hawaii? Chas, please…talk some sense into that boy.
serong* so hot right now
sarong so right
Sarong and thanks for the memories.
sarong suckers
Sarong and thanks for all the fish.
And you can tell everybody this is your sarong
Two sarongs don’t make it right.
Que sarong, sarong… whatever will be, will be.
The Futures™ not ours to see.
pareo