#throwback:
Kelly Slater shows he’s still got
a few tricks up his sleeve
T
Massive air
at the 2012
Rip Curl Pro
final at Bells
Beach, Australia.
wenty years
on from first
hitting the world-
number-one rank,
you’d be forgiven
for thinking Kelly Slater’s
competition contributions would
be mainly ornamental - giving
fans a chance to watch one of
the sport’s biggest names ply
his trade in a laid-back manner. Everyone can appreciate an
impressive aerial move, but
in a world filled with high-
amplitude skate and snowboard
rotational tricks, it’s very easy
to underestimate the challenge
in doing something similar on a
surfboard. Despite the longevity
of the sport, they continued to
be just out of reach for most
riders. I’ve ever landed,” said Kelly.
But Slater wasn’t going out
quietly. 2011 saw him again
crowned World Champion at the
ripe-young age of 39 - giving
him the records for both the
youngest (at 20 in 1992) and
oldest winner. On his way to
the 2011 title, he blew away
the competition in both the US
Open and the Quiksilver Pro
with stunning progressive aerial
moves. Far from resting on his
laurels, Kelly was still helping
push the envelope. So in 2012, Slater decided he
was going to continue to push,
in search of that perfect aerial. The title wasn’t Slater’s that
year, but no-one was doubting
the 40-year-old was still at the
cutting edge of surf progress. t
The venue ended up being
the Rip Curl Pro, held at Bells
Beach, Australia - not a site
known for it’s suitability for
throwing massive air.
And the judges seemed to
agree, offering a perfect 10 for
the move. Josh Kerr (who’s
no slouch on a board himself)
was blown away by the effort
given the course: “it’s an
ankle-breaking maneuver. And
I’ll tell you what—out there, it’s
frigging close-to-impossible to
do airs.”
Unswayed, by the conditions,
Slater threw down one of the
crispest rotations you’ll ever see
from a physics-defying launch.
“It was probably the highest air
114 | FreestyleXtreme.com