Kelly on Gabriel's bullish fade and John John Florence's world title celebration!
Is it too much to manipulate the teats of the Pipeline Masters one more time?
In the final episode of #TourNotes, Peter King’s WSL-funded contest wraps, we are gifted a reasonable insight into the machinations of the WSL’s stars behind the scenes.
Kelly Slater stars of course, a man as beautiful as they come, but unable to drift silently into the shadows. And there is no wasting of his good electricity.
First, he 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.”
We cut to the Gabriel and Kelly almost-collision, which Kelly theatrically enlivens with a double shaka.
“Gabby trying to pull a slick one and turn into him,” says Ross Williams, exhibiting a candour missed from the commentary booth.
“I was stoked because I knew I got a score and didn’t get an interference,” says Kelly. “I needed an eight…”
“How did you…know… you didn’t get an interference?” asks King.
“Because I didn’t interfere on his wave… on his scoring potential. He turned left into me and and hit my feet. And I was, like, what are you doing? There’s no left here!”
The episode then shifts to John John and to the celebration of his world title that was missed during the contest webcast.
However hokey the individual angles, the modernistic yammering, the total effect is supple and structured.
Watch here.