Kelly Slater nails a win for the (old) ages at Teahupoo

TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti (Tuesday, August 23, 2016) - Kelly Slater (USA) has won theBillabong Pro Tahiti after defeating John John Florence (HAW) in the Final in eight-to-ten foot surf at Teahupo’o. The final day of competition at Stop No. 7 of 11 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) has been treated to incredible performances by the world’s best surfers, culminating with Slater’s win. The Final day saw 35 barrels ridden between the two finalists.

11-time WSL Champion Slater claimed the 55th CT victory of his career to jump 11 places on the Jeep Leaderboard to 8th. The win today is Slater’s fifth in Tahiti, with previous event titles in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2011 and solidifies his position as the best surfer at Teahupo’o.

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“When I look back that will for sure be one of the best wins I have ever had,” said Slater. “To have John John [Florence] in the Final is a dream for me. It is no secret that I am towards the tail-end of my career. John John and Gabriel [Medina] are on their way up and those guys are just monsters. John John is all of our favorite surfers, so I want to see how many heats I can get with him before I am done and to have him out here where he and Gabriel are the favorites. This is a really special time for me. I am stoked.”

Today’s win is Slater’s best result of the season and backs up a Semifinal berth in Fiji and a Quarterfinal finish in Jeffreys Bay. It also marks a return to form and his first CT event win since the Billabong Pipe Masters in 2013.

“It just came together for me,” continued Slater. “I was on the right waves, I was in sync and totally relaxed the whole time. To be in that Final with John John and lose would have been no problem for me. I was taking each heat as a bonus. I have had such a bad run for me historically over the last couple of years that anything was going to be good.”

The Final saw a stacked match-up between the two CT superstars. Florence was quick to get points on the board with an 8.00 on his opening ride, but Slater fired with a near-perfect 9.77. Slater landed a miraculous free-fall drop followed by escaping a deep barrel to garner a stunning 9.17. Florence, with a 15.23, was put in a combination situation and needed two new scores with ten minutes left on the clock. Slater continued to better his score with a phenomenal 9.90 for a near-perfect 19.67 combined total to claim his victory.

En route to the Final Slater posted a Perfect 20 heat total in his Round 5 match-up with Keanu Asing (HAW). This is only the ninth time a perfect heat has been achieved in 40 years of professional surfing and the third time Slater has accomplished this feat. Despite a strong opening from Asing, the Slater juggernaut picked up momentum throughout the back half of the heat, posting a Perfect 10, an excellent 8.10 and then another Perfect 10 to seal the win and etch another achievement in the history books.

“The first 10 of that heat was a more difficult ride definitely, but the second one was a bigger, more perfect, classic tube,” said Slater after winning Round 5. “I just thought that the first one was a lot more difficult, so I was not sure if they would throw a 10 on the second one. I have been feeling good all week. A perfect heat is not going to happen many times in your life so I am stoked.”

Slater previously dispatched event Wildcard Bruno Santos (BRA) in the Quarterfinals with another Perfect 10 and a commanding 9.27 back-up score to take the win.  

Slater also received the Andy Irons Most Committed Performance Award, which is given out every year to the standout surfer of the Billabong Pro Tahiti. Previous winners include C.J. Hobgood (2015), Owen Wright (2014), John John Florence (2013), Ricardo dos Santos (2012) and Jeremy Flores (2011).

“I’m so stoked, I’ve worked for this thing for years,” said Slater. “Andy [Irons] would be equally mad and stoked that I won this. Last time I surfed against Andy, it was here at Teahupo’o and he won the event. It was his last win, and I lost to him in the Semifinals. It was a really special heat for me and this is a really special award. This is rad and I can’t wait to put the award in my house. I feel like I’ve won the contest already.”

The runner-up finish for Florence is his best ever result at Teahupo’o and sees the 23-year-old claim the Jeep Leader Jersey heading into the next event on the CT at Lower Trestles. Florence previously defeated Joel Parkinson (AUS) in Round 5, Julian Wilson (AUS) in the Quarterfinals and Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Semifinals.

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“I am super stoked to be the leader on the Jeep Rankings,” Florence said. “But at this point, it is only a yellow jersey and what counts is at the end of the year and there is still a lot to go this year. I am going to keep chipping away at it.”

Gabriel Medina (BRA), 2014 event winner, takes home a third-place finish following an incredible match-up against Florence in the second Semifinal. The sensational superheat saw the pair battle for a place in the Final and the chance to claim the Jeep Leader Jersey. The surfers traded impressive scores throughout the heat, posting seven excellent barrels above 9.00 between them during the bout. The Hawaiian held a slight lead with a near-perfect 18.44 to Medina’s 17.46, but with ten minutes left on the clock, Medina challenged Florence by coming out of a monstrous barrel to earn a Perfect 10 (the fifth of the day) and gain control of the heat. Under pressure and with four minutes remaining, Florence needed a 9.31. In a dramatic exchange, Florence used his priority to land a critical 9.93 to regain the lead and followed it up with a 9.73 to seal the win.

“It was a really fun heat,” said Medina. “John [Florence] is always hard to beat anywhere. We both had really good waves. It was his day today. I look forward to Trestles.”

Medina previously dispatched Jadson Andre (BRA) in Round 5 and Josh Kerr (AUS) in the Quarterfinals before facing Florence. Following today’s result Medina will remain in third place on the Jeep Leaderboard heading into the next event on the CT at Lower Trestles.

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Adrian Buchan (AUS) finished the event in third place, matching his best result of the season, after being defeated by eventual winner Slater in the Semifinals. The bout was a rematch of the 2013 Final between the two former event winners, however this time it was the 11-time World Champion that took the win. Slater found a near-perfect 9.63 and a 6.67 to take the lead from Buchan on his opening exchange, while Buchan trailed close behind with an 8.17. Buchan, needing an 8.14, made numerous attempts to escape deep barrel rides, but was unsuccessful on his attempts. Slater increased his lead with an 8.77 to put Buchan in a combination in the last thirty seconds.

Today's result sees Buchan move up from 11th to 4th place on the Jeep Leaderboard. Buchan previously dispatched Jordy Smith (ZAF) and Kolohe Andino (USA) from the event in Round 5 and the Quarterfinals, respectively.

Julian Wilson (AUS) was defeated by eventual runner-up Florence in Quarterfinal 4 by only 0.74 points in a close head-to-head battle. Florence fired early with excellent rides, but Wilson kept selective. A wipeout on the razor-sharp reef rattled the Australian, but he fired back by coming out of a deep tube to earn a Perfect 10. Despite Wilson’s strong score, Florence was quick to answer back with the dominant combined score for the win. Wilson moves up to 5th place on the Jeep Leaderboard.

“I had the two waves to win that heat for sure,” said Wilson. “The first one I waited for but I got caught out of position and got absolutely walloped and split my chin and took some skin off. It rattled me a bit and I had to reset and gave myself another chance. That 10 was super fun, I knew I had to make the most of that wave. I got the lead for a minute but John John got that wave right behind.” 

The next stop on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour will be the Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro at Trestles, which will see the battle for this season’s World Title heat up as with the world’s best surfers take on Lowers from September 7 -18, 2016.

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI FINAL RESULTS:
1: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.67
2: John John Florence (HAW) 15.23

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.40 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.10
SF 2: John John Florence (HAW) 19.66 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 19.23

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 18.16 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 16.00
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.27 def. Bruno Santos (BRA) 17.43
QF 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.90 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.40
QF 4: John John Florence (HAW) 17.34 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.60

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 5 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.77 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.60
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 20.00 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 14.70
Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.43 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.33
Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW) 18.30 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.90

2016 WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after Billabong Pro Tahiti):
1. John John Florence (HAW) 39,900 pts
2. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 36,000 pts
3. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 35,700 pts
4. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 26,200 pts
5. Julian Wilson (AUS) 25,200 pts

Comments

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 12:12pm

"...in eight-to-ten foot surf at Teahupo’o".

8-10ft? I really wish the WSL would be more consistent in the way it measures wave heights. 

By this standard, wave heights double this size would have give the green light for the Eddie.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 2:32pm

Ah, THAT old chestnut again.

More importantly, what's the fins kelly used? Here's a cut n paste from a screenshot from the post final footage:

???

Beagle's picture
Beagle's picture
Beagle Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 2:33pm

8-10 foot in the middle of a blocking pattern/crap forecast period? I'm sure KP would've been stoked if that was indeed the case! Oh well, whatever they're losing in street/carpark cred they're more than making up for in advertising $$$ and t-shirt sales.

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 3:19pm

Great viewing. Good to lineup the models with what was dished up to the competitors.

Watched from 4am, morning 5 feet with occasional 6 foot (double overhead). There seemed maybe a dozen waves in that realm. Thats how I saw it size wise.

If Kelly does retire one day can he take Pottz with him.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 3:49pm

Yeah seemed to be 5-6ft sets for me too, double overhead on the biggest. So lovely and round too! 

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 3:47pm

'If Kelly does retire one day can he take Pottz with him.'

Seconded.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 7:42pm

Thirded.

He was one of my favourite surfers growing up...I wore out Strange Desires vhs tape...but just can't stand his "tow the corporate WSL line" drivel now...so disappointing.

Oh and Pottz...they're not kids, they're grown ups...

mehollywood's picture
mehollywood's picture
mehollywood Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 10:00pm

Yeah seconded twice .
Heard him refer to Slater as a kid !!

sbsb's picture
sbsb's picture
sbsb Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 11:27pm

Nah Ronnie Blakey is the weakest link there. At least Pottz doesn't rabbit on about the standings while people are catching waves.

evosurfer's picture
evosurfer's picture
evosurfer Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 5:42pm

Once again we all thought Slater was pretty much finished with his winning ways
then BAM gets back onto a more conventional board and gives the surfing elite a
surfing lesson even John John.

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 5:53pm

Is it fair to say the wave makes it easier for Kelly to win than other locations. Doesn't make it less admirable Slater's backhand tube riding at Cloudbreak and Tahiti is well ahead of anyone apart from maybe John Florence who I would say is a close second.

Mecco's picture
Mecco's picture
Mecco Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 6:04pm

KS never ceases to amaze. In my - not so - humble opinion he is the greatest sportsman ever. Would you bet your house that he wouldn't win gold in Tokyo 2020 if he put his mind to it? I wouldn't.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 9:03pm

Kelly off the quads??

Also I remember hearing a couple of times Bruce Irons was off quads last Hawaiian winter. And he was back to vintage BI by all reports.
And I don't think I've ever seen JJF use quads.

Anyone else notice this?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 7:57pm

Only ever seen him on Thrusters. But that's no surprise, for all his derring-do JJF doesn't seem like the most adventurous fellow with his equipment. Ever seen his boards? Not so much as a flyer or swallow to break the outline.

Would love to see him do a late career Curren/Slater shift toward funky equipment.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 8:10pm

Funny thing is though Stu that kelly was surfing as good as he used to and seemed to be riding normal equipment .....like he used to.... when he was winning.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 8:25pm

Yeah I don't know...the Deep Six was 2008, Wizard Sleeve a touch later, and all around that time he was riding very short, round nose equipment yet still won three world titles. All his winning wasn't on 'normal equipment'.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 8:10pm

Yep loves his stock standard rounded squares does JJF.

leckiep's picture
leckiep's picture
leckiep Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 11:49am

I get the interest from a curiosity perspective of wanting to see a good surfer surf different boards, but I don't really understand the expectation that top surfers ride weird things or push new design areas. Particularly while competing.

If JJF is intent on mastering his craft (both technique and surf-craft), why should he be expected to innovate radically? With a nod to Bobby Martinez I'll use a tennis analogy - When Federer was at the top of his game were recreational tennis player calling for him to try square racquets, or different string configurations?

The mood on innovation vacillates too - When kelly experiments and wins he's a genius, when he experiments and doesn't; people call for him to stop buggering around with non-conventional equipment! Same goes for Dane Reynolds - he rides all sorts of stuff and you hear a regular refrain that it just slows down his surfing.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 12:46pm

I've always changed up or modified design to attempt to find an improvement in performance ie. my surfing. JJF seems pretty flawless to me...if it ain't broke...

You're right though...would love to see him riding different boards just to see what he would do on them!

poo-man's picture
poo-man's picture
poo-man Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 7:40pm

That was awesome viewing this morning. Kelly was in a league of his own and for once got his contest rythym going. Unreal!

_benno's picture
_benno's picture
_benno Wednesday, 24 Aug 2016 at 8:51pm

Been waiting a while to see that from the GOAT. Inspiring for us of the order of the follicly challenged.

t-diddy's picture
t-diddy's picture
t-diddy Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 12:28am

KS dominated ! sic to see old baldy hasslin the youngsters

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 6:47am

Great event. So many interesting heats, once we got out of the lully doldrums, and it was good to see real barrel specialists/technicians step up. I was impressed by:
- Medina's stoke and super exciting surfing
- Kelly's wizardry
- JJF's nonchalance
- Ace
- Kolohe's backhand tube skills and humble demeanour
- Kaipo's post heat interviews
- Bruno Santos' unreal tube skills
- Julian's 10

Re boards, Kelly was on a quad in earlier heats, but swapped to a thruster for the final rounds. What board was it - does anyone know?
Medina seems to be the only one riding thicker boards, and I like the look of them.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 8:25am

Strider said he had a good look at the board he's riding.

"Very low entry rocker, a little tail rocker, very traditional style of round pin thruster setup. Back to the old boards that he'd been riding. The construction might be different, but the shape, the rocker and the templates looking a lot like what he was winning world titles on."

- As Stu noted, some of Kelly's world titles were won on very non-standard boards.

gman's picture
gman's picture
gman Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 12:12pm

Anyone think it was strange to hand out the AI Award before the Final? (particularly to a competitor who was IN the final) Could be an argument that (1) unfair to hand out the award before all heats are run i.e. it assumes JJF could not have won the award despite the upcoming final (2) handing out the award pre-final may have affected the performance of the participants in the final - could Kelly have been inspired to greater heights? could JJF have been unhinged?

All the above seem unlikely - but is seems unprofessional to hand out an award regarding the event before the event is over.

p.s. despite my excitement at the "new school" on tour, my eyes are always glued to the TV when King Kelly's heats are on - geez he looked good out there....
Thoughts?

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 12:30pm

Before the final, Kelly had already locked in 4 10 pt rides.
Even with a perfect heat in the final JJF wouldn't have done that.

Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68 Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 10:50pm

Yeah that's interesting re the AI award & the timing. Has that been done before? Wonder if they still would of done the same if the surf was bigger. Maybe they took a punt that nothing greater could be done given the conditions for the upcoming final, as LD eluded to.......

poo-man's picture
poo-man's picture
poo-man Friday, 26 Aug 2016 at 5:35am

i was pretty sweet with that. As LD pointed out he'd already had 4 ten pointers by then. At most rugby games I've been to the man of the match gets announced with 10 minutes left to play. I've often wondered if it was a bit early

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 at 10:27pm

Well done! Least surprised would be Kelly himself,he looks young and fit to me.Better travel,longer contest windows, safety assistance measures, wetsuits, jet-skis, physios,gyms mandatory for pro contest, favours old crew. This aids prototype Kelly to surf Pro contests more into senior years than previous generations who often rocked up stoned on locals pushy only to be smashed again by several towering sets. To grommet basherz....I'm in my 50's and each new day every new wave chalming the unfathomable figuring a new manoeuvre,better now than ever. The older you get the easier it becomes to respect pioneering surfers,just how it is. Kelly's best ride has not been imagined yet and we can only imagine how good it will be.

Reefeater's picture
Reefeater's picture
Reefeater Friday, 26 Aug 2016 at 8:28am

The A.I award has always been handed out prior to the final .

sharkman's picture
sharkman's picture
sharkman Friday, 26 Aug 2016 at 8:46am

Great to see Kelly win a contest again , after a great showing in J-bay , one thing looks clear , when he rides those low rocker banana boards , he is back to his competitive best.