Well, we were beginning to think that Kelly Slater’s professional competitive surfing career had never been given an expiration date. He just kept going and going and going … and going some more.
The dude totally put the energizer bunny to shame.
Kelly became the youngest world champion at 20 years old – it was more than obvious that he was going to have a long and successful run at the top. But nobody ever guessed just how long and how successful it would go: 19 years later he became the oldest world champion at 39 years old.
When he hit 40, people were amazed how he was able to still be at the very top of the ratings at that age. Competitive surfing is a young person’s sport, nobody had even come close to being at the very top for so long. And to be 40? There were a lot of “wows” being let out all over the place.
I had barely made 25 when I called it a career, and here was Kelly at 40 and showing no signs of slowing down. How did he do that?
It was darn amusing to watch him still winning. I was thinking he was probably close to the end of the run and was in awe of him still winning as much as still wanting to do it.
As glamorous as being a pro surfer is, there is still the mental aspect of grinding it out over and over, year after year. It’s hard on ya. But then, there is a lot of money involved. Top rated pro’s make a boatload of dollars these days. Probably even more so when Kelly hit 40.
My thought was, “Why not hang in there while the big checks are still rolling in?” Seemed smart really. Get paid for going surfing for as long as you can. Get paid for going surfing, what a great thing. It’s a plan that I went with for a long time, in one form or another.
But then, he just kept going.
The dude turned 50 and was still one of the top-rated pro surfers in the world. Yes, 50. The big 5-0. How did he do that?
He won the Pipeline Masters. blowing guys outta the water half his age. It was mind boggling.
I watched many of the events online and there was one thing that I had been noticing for a long time though. He was not getting the good side of close calls. I would see a ride that, in my mind, was a great score. But it would not come out as high as I expected it to. And it was happening more and more.
I had lived through that same kinda thing later in my career. They have seen ya for a long time. There’s new guys now. You don’t get the benefit of the doubt anymore. But, he was still hanging in.
Well, at 53 years old, Kelly Slater has said this is it. Calling it a career after 33 years on the World Championship Tour. As an 11-time world champion. ELEVEN!!! With 54 tour victories.
But, that said, it’s not entirely over as of yet. It seems he has been given a “wild card” entry into a couple more events coming up and intends on competing in them.
How many more of these invitations will he get, and how many will he compete in? Who knows. It’s anybody’s guess. We might see him put on a jersey at 60. 70? My back hurts just thinking about it.
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Corky: 25 years of setting surfing greatness in stone
I first saw Kelly surfing in the Menehune division (12 and under) of the Sundek Classic event in Florida back in the early 1980s. I think he was 11 at the time.
He was the best surfer in the event, of any age.
I was the emcee, and after watching one of Kelly’s rides I announced that “this kid can be world champ someday.” His mom was happy about that.
I always remembered that, and so many times I have wanted to let out a “seeeeeee, I told you guys… hahaha.” But probably very few people, other than me and his mom, probably remember that.
In any case, it has been beyond an amazing competitive career. He is without any doubt the greatest surfer of all time. One of the greatest, maybe THE greatest athlete ever. Right up there with Babe Ruth, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and all those dudes.
It’s been an absolute pleasure watching the whole thing. I have nothing less than the highest respect for this guy. I still think of him as a kid.
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