Kelly Slater vinder sin 7. World Tour
SLATER WINS AN UNPRECEDENTED SEVENTH FOSTER’S ASP MEN’S WORLD TOUR CROWN DURING NOVA SCHIN FESTIVAL, BRAZIL
Spectators on the beach and those watching the live webcast from the Nova Schin Festival presented by Billabong witnessed one of the most phenomenal acts in surfing and sporting history today when Kelly Slater from Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA claimed an incredible seventh Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour crown.
Despite being eliminated in round four of today’s event, by stable-mate Travis Logie (ZAF), all things fell into place for Slater when his only rival for the title, Andy Irons (HAW) was eliminated by Nathan Hedge (AUS) in the quarter finals. In order to keep the title race alive going into Hawaii – with Slater’s early elimination – Irons had to finish at least third in this event.
After a shaky start to the Nova Schin Festival, Slater looked to be back to his best in round three where he defeated wildcard Guilherme Ferriera (BRA) but in the heat against Logie he stalled, falling on a few occasions and perhaps making some wrong decisions regarding wave choice.
After the heat he admitted being an emotional ball of knots as he felt huge disappointment in himself plus an overwhelming anxiousness. He was about to jump into a car and leave the beach as he couldn’t bear to watch how the Irons/Hedge affair would unfold.
Good friend CJ Hobgood (USA) then talked Slater into returning to watch and with all eyes upon the soon to be champion he joked and looked at ease for the masses of cameras focussed on him recording his reaction.
In the dying stages of the Irons/Hedge encounter he zipped his jacket over his head as the anticipation became unbearable. But as soon as it was confirmed that Irons was eliminated Slater threw his arms in the air and cheered long and hard in tune with the massive crowd who were present to support him.
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Her er lidt Slater’s Stats:
In winning his seventh Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour crown Slater has broken his own record of six titles.
He won his first title here in Brazil at Rio de Janeiro in 1992. He then lost the following year to Derek Ho (HAW) but reclaimed his crown in 1994 and held onto it with a firm grip until 1998 – seven years ago.
Slater left the tour before the start of the 1999 season to go into semi-retirement until 2001. He is the only surfer in the history of the sport who did not have to return to the World Championship Tour through qualification on the second tier World Qualifying Series. Each tour event granted him a wildcard so he could return in 2001.
Slater was the youngest to claim the title at 20 years of age and is now the oldest champion at 33 years of age. He takes the oldest record from Mark Occhilupo (AUS) who also claimed a title in 1999 when he was also 33. He beats Occhilupo because he was born in the month of February. Occhilupo was born in June.
Kelly Slater is the highest prizemoney winner in the history of the sport now having amassed an amazing $US1,303,105.
The only record Slater is yet to smash is the most number of competition victories held by Tom Curren (USA). Curren has 33 event victories while Slater has 31.