Is this the end?
The World Surf League kicked off its third event of the 2024 Championship Tour season late last night, west coast America time, in Portugal with much joy and many huzzahs. The Hawaii leg, though plagued by questionable surf and questionable decision making, provided just enough pump to have surf fans hungry for more. Amongst the main storylines: will the women’s draw continue to be more exciting than the men’s? Has Gabriel Medina uncaged his competitive animal? Is Kelly Slater, widely considered the greatest of all-time, ever going to win another heat?
Alas, the aforementioned surf fan is going to have to wait until Australia for answers as the 11-time champion has just stunned by withdrawing, suddenly, from the MEO Rip Curl Pro citing hip health.
Taking to Instagram, his home away from home, Slater shared, “Still dealing with hip recovery and still in pain with basic mobility. thanks for the messages from Portuguese fans and apologies I won’t be seeing you in Supertubos. Hoping to feel better for Bell’s (the first event I surfed as a full time tour surfer in 1992). Fingers crossed the World Surf League scores some good waves in Portugal and good luck to everyone.”
The former actor would have been cut from the Championship Tour in Australia last year, of course, though was granted a golden Kelly Slater wildcard that allows him to surf forever, hip willing.
The question, I suppose. Will 57-year-old ever surf a competitive heat again?
Should he?
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Surfing pipe backwash with JOB and that one kid with the huge fabulous teeth and hair last week. Yeah hip fucked up for sure.
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There’s always next years Wildcard!
Obviously he was cut from the tour for a reason, this hanging around on tour because he has nowhere else to go is just sad
yes ‘fucking around in pipe backwash’ after hip surgery could muck it up.
of course he should if he wants to and feels it.
Can’t blame him I wouldn’t surf that shit either .
PK just posted the GOAT doing a mental hack on his insta. It must only hurt in shitty beach break.
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Shouldn’t have done that carving 360!
he has a daughter.
Thoughts and prayers 🙏
Are we sure he had an injury and didnt have a casting call for the Baywatch re-bbot?
The silly old man
Keeps mixing up his Brazil
With his Portugal
He’s been watching too much shogun, thinks we are at war with the catholics still.
I just want to know what cartel guy’s chick he fucked.
Xox
Getting in early for the injury wildcard next year.
As he gets older the opportunities for an injury wildcard will increase exponentially. Kelly’s playing chess while we’re still playing checkers.
He’s not fooling anybody. He’s just a cunt.
Is it coincidental that his hip is preventing him from surfing shitty cold Euro waves, while Fiji is pumping right now ?
Chances are he’s paddling into one at Cloudies this very minute…
He did the same thing a few years ago while ‘injured’.
Strike missioned a 15 ft swell at Coudbreak while the rest of the tour was surfing 3 ft Keramas in Bali.
Obviously waves like huge Cloudbreak don’t put much (or any),stress on ageing rusty hips,unlike performance playgroundground waves like headhigh Keramas do.
Not for GOATS anyway lol.
The other guys surfed Cloudy. Domey surfed Restaurants.
smart guy.
Hi Kelly say fucken die to that red headed mate of yours
I think he’s laying the groundwork for (yet another) retirement announcement at Bells
I would like to formally announce my retirement. I will still surf the occasional event at pipeline, chopoo, and of course Fiji which is like a 12th home for me if the WSL will give me a wildcard into those events (And the forecast looks good)
but he is being a cunt.
Shock and concern for the forecast as well!
Kelly has always been pretty hip, but I noticed he was having “hip” issues when he tried to flash me a peace sign this past winter and only one of his fingers worked.
This event should go mobile. When Supers is big onshore crap, the other side of the peninsula is offshore at Cerro. Granted it isn’t Supertubos, but it is way better than the junk they keep serving up in desperation.
That first edition was a pretty successful event. That and that other year when they wrapped the whole thing in 2 full days of banging waves. I think it gave the event enough cred for a good 20 years.
the mayor of penuchi, a cool guy, told me how upset all the local business ‘s were when they ran the event in 2 days and everyone left town and restaurants and hotels and bars and gift shops, empty.
trustory.
I can imagine the upset. On the other hand look at this year’s blessing, onshore and lay days ad eternum, not much else to do than eating seafood and getting pissed in the afternoon!
Pretty sure they have made it mobile this year. I read it on swellnet