Surf legend Kelly Slater seats himself between Lionel Messi and Lewis Hamilton, across from Serena Williams at sporting Valhalla’s grand banquet table!

Skål.

But where do the world’s greatest athletes go when that final whistle blows, ultimate hooter sounds, forever last closing minutes tick off the clock? To sporting Valhalla, of course, where a GOAT fills every seat and electrolyte-rich health drinks fill every horn.

Skål.

Babe Ruth is lounging around that long wooden table and so is Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Jesse Owens enjoying his time alongside Sonja Henie. It is a fine time, though an extremely exclusive ticket, and have you ever thought if our Kelly Slater would make it in?

If “surfing” would pass the smell test of those wolves guarding the door?

Assuming it does, the 11x world champion has seated himself between race car stud Lewis Hamilton and soccer sensation Lionel Messi, right across from Serena Williams.

Prime territory.

Taking to social media after the just-wrapped Lauren’s World Sports Awards, the 51-year-old Pro Pipeline declared:

Congratulations Lionel Messi, well deserved Laureus’s Sport Awards following your incredible achievements last year. A historic two Laureus Awards last night (joining me and my friend Lewis Hamilton each with four) and also winning Team of the Year, tying the incredible Serena Williams with 5 Laureus Statuettes.

Brilliant.

Though did you know that Slater was a 4x Laureus winner?

Was it essential for him to bring up whilst praising Messi?

I mean, clearly it was… but was it?

David Lee Scales and I, anyhow, did not discuss the Laureus World Sport Awards on our most recent chat but we did wonder how magical it would be to have Slater bring his guitar along on a ten-day surf-seeking boat trip in order to serenade as the sun set.

Close your eyes and picture now whilst listening to conversations about surfing, I think.

Enjoy.