Balance board surf training thrown into question after Kelly Slater and Jeremy Flores engage in high-stakes demonstration

"Proof this toys have 0 to do with actual surfing abilities."

The world’s greatest competitive surfer, Kelly Slater, is in no mood to slow down. Carrying an infinite pocket full of World Surf League wildcards and the debonair good looks of a much younger 57-year-old, the 11x world champion appears to have everything but needing more.

The Floridian icon has been jetting around Europe these past few weeks as part of his ambassadorship duties for luxury Swiss watch maker Breitling. He is, of course, part of the “Surfer Squad” which includes Stephanie Gilmore and the recently World Surf League Championship Tour re-qualified Sally Fitzgibbons. Slater was there, in Rome, to celebrate 140 years of Breitling and is now in Paris doing the same with Jeremy Flores.

The two are captured together in a store which just so happens to have a balance board. But you certainly recall when the Indo Board burst onto our surf scene. There were magazines, back then, and toward the back cover, quarter page ads featuring the oblong plywood shape and an accompanying cylinder. Balance board training promised to hone the surfer’s muscle instincts whilst he or she sat on land, waiting for the next big swell. Balance boarding could be done anywhere, you see, and most also came with a handy tote bag, if I recall correctly.

Back to Slater and Flores, though. As highly competitive people are wont to do, a challenge is laid out to see who can balance on the board longer. After light making fun of Australia’s Rachel “Raygun” Ray, the breakdancer who stole hearts during the Paris Games, Slater goes first, crouching into a cheater five before attempting a shove-it and coming undone. Flores, next, gets into pig dog stance after wobbling but comes undone even quicker.

At the end, they seem to agree to a draw, the loser appearing to be the balance board itself.

Now, neither surf champ looked entirely elegant whilst competing, leaving fans sour.

“Proof this toys have 0 to do with actual surfing abilities,” one wrote underneath the shared video.

“lol. My buddy ate shit so hard on one of these,” another added.

“Next vid: surf skating,” yet a third poked.

On the deluge went, those holding stock in Big Balance anxiously hoping the storm will pass.

Though now your turn. Do you practice the balance board at home? Has it improved your surfing? Would you recommend?

Very cool.