Watch: Slater's Recuperation Session At Uluwatu

Ben Matson picture
Ben Matson (thermalben)
Reels

On Monday, the WSL issued a press release about the upcoming event in Rio, noting that Kelly Slater had "withdrawn due to injury", allowing Yago Dora to slot in.

However, it looks like Kelly's recuperation program is going very well - here he is, spotted the very same day surfing a slightly wobbly but otherwise enticing lineup at Temples.

Perhaps Kelly's injury was not "an instance of being injured" but instead, closer to the Oxford Dictionary's secondary alternative: "damage to a person's feelings".

If it's the case - and I certainly wish Kelly all the best on his road to recovery - I gotta say, a quick strike mission to Indo would certainly cheer me up too.

Comments

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 8:26pm

Poor little dumpling, leave him alone!

Stok's picture
Stok's picture
Stok Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 8:33pm

Pretty damn good tube riding in that clip....making it look easy.

Also - great to see the tow in foiler failing miserably.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 8:40pm

that foiler was very good 1:10

must've spotted a crayfish

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 8:46pm

1:58 pigdog to roadkill

joesydney's picture
joesydney's picture
joesydney Saturday, 25 Jun 2022 at 7:40pm

Completely the guys fault paddling out - shits me to tears, you can see the guy setting up a barrel and try to paddle around the section.

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 8:57pm

Aaaw he's 50, sore back, top 10 competitor. Just cross training is all I can see. His yacht is probably in a really nice bay as well.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 9:04pm

Saw a clip last week of him out at Deserts a few days before the El Salvador comp

flollo's picture
flollo's picture
flollo Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 9:40pm

Here's a clip from Desert Point featuring Kelly. Definitely looks like he's having fun.

t-diddy's picture
t-diddy's picture
t-diddy Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 10:20pm

i know where i'd rather be..

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Wednesday, 22 Jun 2022 at 10:54pm

Kelly does whatever Kelly wants - it’s good being the king - but it is a bit of a kick in the face to surf fans and the WSL. He knew the forecast looked shite for El Salvador and had zero chance and he kinda always tried to dodge Brazil. Fair enough he’s the goat but to blatantly lie about ‘injur”. GOAT and world biggest wanker at times

Surfalot67's picture
Surfalot67's picture
Surfalot67 Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 7:41am

He's a wanker because he prefers to surf good waves than go to Rio? Interesting take Lost

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 7:44am

Do you wag work every time you don't really feel like going?

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 7:44am

Nope he’s a wanker for feeding the pubic bullshit

Bustard's picture
Bustard's picture
Bustard Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 8:35am

I wonder if its Kelly's Lie or the Wozzle's Lie... I am sort assuming the latter, being the Wozzle presser doesnt want to come out and say the highest profile athlete we have isn't interested in the show we are putting on so we'll say he is injured...meanwhile kelly says to them I dont care...say whatever makes you sleep at night, I'm staying in indo until J bay

rj-davey's picture
rj-davey's picture
rj-davey Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 11:36am

I reckon you're bang on.

David.Green's picture
David.Green's picture
David.Green Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 12:42pm

Ditto

mike oxhard's picture
mike oxhard's picture
mike oxhard Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 12:09am

yeah I'd probably give Rio a miss too if I was him

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 7:16am

he must have been wanting to go to cloud break thru that swell but didnt want to be obvious like last time he had an injury and went.......good life hes got but good on him

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 7:36am

I can understand his motivation, but he's gotta be the biggest piss take in surfing.

You're a grown man now, KS. Carry yourself with some mana and integrity.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 7:44am

Wish I surfed like that injured…

Nathan Florence in the mix there too I think

blackers's picture
blackers's picture
blackers Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 8:14am

Just retire ffs.

Paul McD's picture
Paul McD's picture
Paul McD Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 9:09am

Good on him!!

garry-weed's picture
garry-weed's picture
garry-weed Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 9:37am

He ain't the GOAT. He's the competitive GOAT with an incredible carbon footprint for someone who is so reputedly switched on. I would still have liked to see him surf Rio though as he is possibly the only surfer to bring new design ideas to the WSL

dastasha's picture
dastasha's picture
dastasha Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 2:00pm

Garry-weed on the money

Gowsa's picture
Gowsa's picture
Gowsa Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 10:59am

Is it just me... or does Slater often seem to riding the wrong sort of Boards ?

dastasha's picture
dastasha's picture
dastasha Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 2:02pm

The real question is what type of sunscreen does he use on his dome?

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 11:43am

Major floor in the new “cut” design. If you are not in contention for the final five then you don’t give a fuck about the rest of the 2022 tour. You can not turn up (fake injury like Kelly) and still have your 2023 start. Normally at this stage of the year there would be a real fight to stay on tour. That’s long gone now.

monkeyboy's picture
monkeyboy's picture
monkeyboy Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 12:40pm

If I wagged "work" and someone put up a vid of me surfing Ulus on the same day I'm not sure I'd have a job to go back to (but probably wouldnt care). Good on him - always try to surf the best waves, not the most waves.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 1:42pm

I agree Lost, it's becoming that is a major flaw.

Good on Kelly, but watching the Lost tapes where he's all serious integrity dealing with kids and here he is blatantly treating the fans like mugs.

It's a bit rich.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 1:50pm

This is the tricky thing about this new found tour. If you don't feel like going to an event in the second half of the year and you're not really vying for the top 5 there is NO consequence. In fact there is nothing to lose at all as you've got a whole new clean sheet come Pipe in Jan. Maybe taken the sting out of the second half of the year IMO. Men and Women probably have 4 or so of Top 5 set already.

fitzroy-21's picture
fitzroy-21's picture
fitzroy-21 Thursday, 23 Jun 2022 at 2:01pm

Unlike the WSL, Kelly is showing how it's done, being the best surfer in the best waves...

conrico's picture
conrico's picture
conrico Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 12:17am

Would do the same if I was KS. Good to see someone who values enjoyment over money

nick_french's picture
nick_french's picture
nick_french Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 2:26am

On the lipped surfers podcast (good Podcast to listen to), one the guys on there made a good point with the cut. There is currently around 8 surfers on the men’s tour who can make the final 5 so to make it more interesting have another cut could make it before or after the brazil event. Cut the men’s tour down to top 12-15 for example going into jbay and chopes which would increase the performances and drama. All surfers who made the mid year cut still have a place on tour next year, however some wouldn’t get the chance to surf the last 2 events of the year. Who wouldn’t want to surf jbay and chopes with 1 or 2 others in the water and also increases the chances of them scoring !.

Stupot's picture
Stupot's picture
Stupot Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 6:45am

He should of retired after he won Pipe, or transition and win another 10 world titles on the women's tour?

calk's picture
calk's picture
calk Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 7:14am

Didn't Steve call this in one of his recent WSL daily summaries? Think he might have said cloud break? Near enough!

calk's picture
calk's picture
calk Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 7:28am

Confirmed -

"There's no denying the holes left by the non-appearances due to injury of John Florence and Kelly Slater. Particularly after the release of Episode 1 of Kelly's 'Lost Tapes' put the spotlight back on him. Is he really injured or is he just taking a breather to avoid another 17th place? Maybe looking for a circuit breaker to arrest the slide down the ratings which has gathered momentum since Sunset Beach?

Something like a week at Cloudbreak, maybe? That usually does the trick."

https://www.swellnet.com/news/form-guide/2022/06/16/el-salvador-pro-day-1

Beats's picture
Beats's picture
Beats Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 8:54am

I am a couple years older than KS and have enjoyed his surfing ability and competitiveness for 3 decades - I feel lucky that I was witness to a sporting great of the sport I love.

I judge his surfing not the man ....... its not a popularity competition.

Does KS owe surf fans anything - probably, but after 30 years of competitive surfing maybe not. What about wozzle, I am sure there is a retainer which comes with a contract which I assume wouldn't really faze his decision making. He wanted another world title - cant get it - go catch good waves elsewhere, click back in to surf empty Chopes and Jbay with a chance of winning then surf pipe 2023.

Seems logical to me - good luck to him!

mickseq's picture
mickseq's picture
mickseq Saturday, 25 Jun 2022 at 3:27pm

good post

nickca's picture
nickca's picture
nickca Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 10:44am

In one of the forums recently one of the older Aussie pros faced criticism suggesting he should step aside and allow some of the younger crew to have a shot. Now when this happens(for whatever the reason) there’s criticism from some saying KS should have attended a comp he may not have had much interest in. I reckon if he turned up and seemed disinterested the knives would be out saying he should of given someone else an opportunity.Damned if you do….

nicko74's picture
nicko74's picture
nicko74 Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 10:26pm

Yep good on him.

nicko74's picture
nicko74's picture
nicko74 Friday, 24 Jun 2022 at 10:30pm

Once again I was side tracked whilst trying to get to the forecaster note’s. A pleasant distraction nonetheless. : )

Shaun Hanson's picture
Shaun Hanson's picture
Shaun Hanson Saturday, 25 Jun 2022 at 7:11pm

Fuck i just wanna know of the foiler got the crayfish..

Blingas's picture
Blingas's picture
Blingas Saturday, 25 Jun 2022 at 8:38pm

Was at Ulus last week and some dude comes out pulls into what looked to be a close out and popped up 10 secs later way down.... OMG... Who was that... Oh it was Kelly... The man is a surf animal... Still haven't found any footage of that wave yet but SOB was on the cliff so waiting for the next edit. It might have been any day of that week. The waves have been pumping up there so all the days all blur together.

Seaweed's picture
Seaweed's picture
Seaweed Sunday, 26 Jun 2022 at 5:10pm

Who hasn’t called in a sick day to go surfing ?

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Monday, 27 Jun 2022 at 10:36pm

Can be a hell of a paddle up there at high tide with all that sweep.

dinnerdish's picture
dinnerdish's picture
dinnerdish Tuesday, 28 Jun 2022 at 12:21pm

I feel recuperated after watching that and reading the comments

Bustard's picture
Bustard's picture
Bustard Wednesday, 29 Jun 2022 at 6:44am

With Brazil and El Sal out of the way is it just me or is KS looking healthy and spritely

Yuri's picture
Yuri's picture
Yuri Tuesday, 12 Jul 2022 at 9:55am