Sayonara champ and thanks for the laughs. | Photo: @tsherms/Steve Sherman

Greatest surfer ever Kelly Slater announces shock withdrawal from Merewether CT and, likely, Narrabeen, effectively ending chance for world title surf-off in September; cites four-year-old injury as reason: “I’ve been struggling…constant pain!”

Hip, foot in mess, unable to surf etc.

In pretty substantial, but altogether unsurprising, news, the eleven-time world champ Kelly Slater has announced he ain’t gonna be on the WSL’s  bird to Australia in two days. 

Slater said, “I’ve been struggling with recent and ongoing injuries in both ankles since the Pipe Masters event and I had a separate injury in my right hip (and maybe previously broken foot) this past week which has left me unable to surf. It’s a tough one for me because I love Australia so much and miss the time I usually get to spend there each year. I’ll just have to use the time to get myself up to a level physically I never really got back to after my broken foot (in Jeffreys Bay in 2017) and get myself out of constant pain. Good luck to all my fellow competitors and I hope to see everyone back on tour soon.”

Maybe he just ain’t into doing two-weeks in a crummy hotel with the windows bolted shut and living on takeaway food or maybe he isn’t into jerking his forty-nine-year-old bones around, likely, unspectacular waves at Newcastle and Narrabeen made for Medina, Ferreira, Toledo and co. 

Or

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMBgmKcHBlO/

Whatever the reason, missing part or all of the Australian leg will make it real difficult, maybe impossible, for the Champ to confect a miracle, greatest-ever-title win at Lowers in September. 

I’d suggest the sands of time have finally run out for a man whose invincibility and longevity singlehandedly kept pro surfing alive. There will be no runs at the title as a fifty year old.

An end that whimpers, no bang.

Unless Tahiti lights up.

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Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago

just wondering if this is you ……https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugen…

Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago

no answer smart arse?????

Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago

How much time have you spent in Europe….racism is high on the agenda , not like Australia….and yes I can see how someone like you finds racism boring …..but grift…..you wouldn’t have a fucken clue except your right wing fantasy’s about me my personal gains…jealous Mr Geniearse , as I don’t own anything , not even a car…..
So fuck you and your delusions about me Grifting….have a look at yourself…..I am moving forward , what have you ever contributed to society ???

Howling Jack
Howling Jack
5 years ago

Australia is the new Brazil

FL Skunk Ape
FL Skunk Ape
5 years ago

Oh well then, how about if you are a non-white, go ahead and drive through the rural south. Tell us how it goes…

Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago

less racist than US and OZ…Western Europe … light years ahead….

my race your race….I think it was white colonialism that set the racism boundaries…and fuck science or your science based right wing conspiracy’s……

I have been saying for 30 years or so…Australia is one of the most racist countries on earth….for me it’ still a fact….as the Chinese/Asians/ Mid Eastern / blacks can attest to!

Hot Stuff
Hot Stuff
5 years ago
Reply to  Brutus

Especially in victoria

toofattosurf
toofattosurf
5 years ago

none wanna go to the end of the world….

toofattosurf
toofattosurf
5 years ago

’cause besides racist also lazy…

Noncompetitor
Noncompetitor
5 years ago

Surf all winter in hawaii just fine then suddenly injured just hang it up

toofattosurf
toofattosurf
5 years ago

bye, ain’t gonna miss…

Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago

can you name those shithole countries …… very Trumpesque!

Hot Stuff
Hot Stuff
5 years ago
Reply to  Brutus

The ones that hate women
All Islamic countries.
And a lot of African countries,
Absolute pieces of shit

Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago
Reply to  Hot Stuff

You hate women…….so are you a peice of shit …..

Hot Stuff
Hot Stuff
5 years ago

Free cremation at no extra cost.

JohnsKnees
JohnsKnees
5 years ago

Deal with some racism or getting murdered by gangs, seems like an obvious choice if you ask me.

JohnsKnees
JohnsKnees
5 years ago

Didn’t Ke!!y invent an injury a few years back when Cloudbreak was pumping, there must be a swell headed somewhere remote while this Aussie bubble thing is going down.

Otto
Otto
5 years ago

No. It’s a policy failure. What’s happening at the border is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis. In their efforts to be all things not Trump, Biden has taken an immigration at the southern border policy which worked, was fair and prevented migrants making the dangerous travel from Central/South America, through Mexico and all attendant dangers involved, and made it dangerous as all hell for unaccompanied minors. NGO’s are as much to blame as Biden. Trump had Mexico protecting their southern border, which was best, most humane way to approach the matter. I don’t see how you justify Biden’s policy, but I’d love to hear what you think.

Brutus
Brutus
5 years ago
Reply to  Otto

so 2500 Americans a day dying a day , down from 6000, and you worry about the South American crisis…as being a “humanitarian” one…..so what do you call the pandemic in the USA at the moment….how many migrants will die ?

ValiantScorn
ValiantScorn
5 years ago

The cold hard truth.

Gelato Pickle
Gelato Pickle
5 years ago

Without any meaningful QS tour happening I guess all the CT surfers get to go again next year regardless of their final position? So why would Slater bother? In fact why are any of them bothering? Why am I bothering to write this? What’s the fucking point in anything?

Ricky Spanish
Ricky Spanish
5 years ago

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the inevitable gradual decline of your physical abilities while doing anything to prolong your relevance in a niche sport to feed your fragile ego if only for one more desperate year.

Karl Myers
Karl Myers
5 years ago

There are two types of competitive surfers: those who think you can win enough contests and those who have won enough contests. It’s what separates the non-world champs from the world champs. Kelly’s age is finally catching up – I’ll bet he wants to be there but knows he won’t win.

AI (for ever) .
AI (for ever) .
5 years ago

Stockholm syndrome


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