"I remember when it all started, it was, hey guys pack your bags it’s all over for us..."
The punchline of Kelly Slater’s twenty-seventh prank retirement announcement was, let’s be honest, never going to be you or me. We have watched the surf great for generations now, knowing that one of his favorite social manipulations is to lightly suggest that he’s finally hanging it up only to become showered in praise and adulation. It is funny but maybe not so funny for the elderly who are easily confused and think that the 11x champion has really and truly called it.
Enter Martin Potter.
Hours after Slater received his wildcards for the upcoming Tahiti and Fiji contests, the only two he would have surfed even if making the cut, ’89 took to Instagram in order to share a heartfelt tribute:
It’s taken a while for me to comment on @kellyslater letting go, shit if the waves were pumping noone can beat him still to this day. I remember when it all started, it was, hey guys pack your bags it’s all over for us, but it wasn’t bad it was just him taking our sport to the next level, all our greats did that!@markrichardssurfboards @shauntomson @thomasvictorcarroll and the list goes on. Kelly you have made us proud to be surfers not just by the way you rode waves but the way you were a great human, you shared the love with us and the many generations of groms you inspired. We love you mate and wish you and your beautiful family all the best. What’s next. ??? Golf Golf Golf.
Golf, golf, golf and/or ’25 Pro Pipeline, Snapper, Bells and Margs (forecast dependent), Teahupo’o and Fiji (if it remains). Rinse and repeat for ’26. Etc.
Back to Pottz, how cute is he?
Definitely cute enough to not be fun made.
Shame on Kelly Slater.