Kelly Slater to retire again
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
Kelly Slater, the evergreen 11-times world champion, has indicated he would only compete in selected events next year. In an interview reported on Reuters Slater once again broached the topic of retirement. "I'm in somewhat of a transition period," he said, "where I'm going to be re-evaluating my life - whatever is left on tour and what is going to be off tour."
Expanding further he said, "It's probably a little bit scary because you get so used to one thing but it's also exciting because you have a whole different life open up to you and a whole different opportunity to experience things."
It was, without doubt, the strongest indication we've had that Slater would retire. But then he dropped the old chestnut - he would be contesting the Quiksilver Pro, the first contest of the year. "I seem to do well there and that sets up my whole year but I don't know if I would have started the tour the last couple of years if it wasn't a Quiksilver contest."
Kelly Slater showing ambivalence to the following years tour has become a regular part of the programming, as is Kelly Slater changing his mind after he gets a good result at the Quiksilver Pro. Also, it'd be hard to imagine Slater turning his nose up at the carrot dangling in the fourth contest - the Volcom Pro at one of Slater's favourite places, Fiji.
And if he gets two good results in the first four events? Well, let's have another one just like the other one. I don't think the ASP needs to shell out for a gold watch just yet.
Comments
Let the games begin! (again)
bout fucking time
i'm not ready.
i need to see him get beaten a few more times.
closure is important for the end of any long term relationship.
Was it not possible to come up with something to celebrate KP's outstanding effort before producing this piece of nothingness.....
We're not in Hawaii, Sarge, so a one-on-one with KP is impossible. And at any rate you can read a great many things on the internet about KP's win - which I think was epic, BTW.
We posted real-time Facebook updates about his win plus photos and a press release: http://www.swellnet.com.au/news/2675-kieren-perrow-wins-billabong-pipe-m...
Lastly, the above article is not about the Pipe Masters. It's not even mentioned.
"Lastly, the above article is not about the Pipe Masters. It's not even mentioned." Fair bump play on!
Little bit of Slater fatigue at the moment thats all....
Fairies nuts, Sarge. There has been a bit of old Baldy on the site lately. Maybe we have a self-imposed moratorium? A Slater-free January or the like.
What about a Slater-free '12??
Lets assume he does retire.
How valid is the next world champ gunna be if he wins in Slater's absence?
I don't think we have seen the last of him yet, he will just do his usual and let Belly tell him what to do, where to go and what to wear and say. It saves him from having to think and he can just surf, Belly is the one who should be interviewed on Kelly's retirement plans as he is probably the onlyone who actually knows.
In all reality we all have to work till we are 65 until we can retire so why should Kelly have it any different to the rest of us?
possibly, because he can afford to perhaps? I think Kelly has earned his own right to retire if he wishes.
If he was an Australian, there would be an unsurpassed amount of gratuitous bum kissing. Look what happened to Warney, at least Mr Slater has a firm grasp of self respect.
Shouldn't the entire planet celebrate?
good point camboboog
camboboog nailed it. we'd give our two left nuts to have Slater as an Aussie and in a year's time pro surfing will be struggling to find anyone that has half his draw.
camboboog hit the nail on the head.
BKS - Bob Kelly Slater has a firm grasp on a net worth north of 20 mil.
BKS will continue working on increasing his stack of crumbs whether he retires from competitive surfing or not.
anyone know if slater donates any dough to charities e.t.c.- if he doesnt ,he should, he,s certainly got plenty........to spare...
I saw an episode of Baywatch where he gave his board away to a kid on the beach victor. Does that count?
He dropped in on me at Burleigh once and let me ride behind him. Does that count too?
ZQK will make him compete till he's 79.
it'll be worse than John Farnham.
I'd love to see him retire and do more video parts and chase Big waves around the world maybe join the chasing monsters crew
Bob Kelly Slater retiring? Hardly.
He's not about to be like the old pros he observed over the years who've gone on to merely work for someone else in the industry.... Run a retail location. Run a contest or three. Or run for political office. No.
Hells bells boys, he's about to own the waves.. the arena.
In perpetuity!
Capitalism 2.0.
capitalist and ecomaniac,
wave pools....massive waste of energy... surfings equivalent of motor sports.
bad karma bob. our blackfellas point the bone at you.
Bob Kelly Slater didn't accumulate a net worth well over 20 million by being a downer trapped in the dark ages, sid.
While some may be ratting bones, he's making crumbs.... Huge heaping piles of 'em.
Steep, endless barrels. Airs. Any maneuvors you'd want to do.... "It's going to happen"..
The future belongs to the frothers, mate.
rolls, I don't doubt it.
just reckon its a waste of 2 increasingly expensive commodities, power and water.
I'll buy the gas co's that supply the power stations. Or will they be nuclear??? Don't matter, I've got both.
actually, someone should tell Kelly that there is a cheap site available on Japans east coast that would be an ideal venue.
It'll need a slight refurbishment and decontamination for about 750 years, but price is right, and its close to China.
They can have glow in the dark nite surfing.
Maybe he is going to focus more of his energy now on ripping off Webbers wave machine concept, I wish he would piss off and take Rob Machado, Jack Johnson and the surf school operators who are responsible for bringing in high volumes of european people from non surfing backgrounds to Bali and s/e Queensland with him.
If only Kelly was Australian eh.
My humble view is that he has been a true champion of the sport, great competitor, fantastic surfer and handles himself well in the public arena. Layne Beachley has been the female equivalent and its great for us that she is Australian.
Surfing at the elite level is no longer just getting in the water and ripping it, its everything else that needs to be done to make sure that sponsorship continues and that the public see surfing in its best light. The days have gone when first prize at an event was a surfboard or wettie and when the general public more often than not saw surfers as not much more than beach bums. And no, most of us were not bums but just wanting a good time in the water, the public's view was a touch different going back then.
And the waves are more crowded, but its been crowded ever since leg ropes came in. And Bali is not our home land so why shouldn't others enjoy its waves as well. Our surfers have travelled the globe for many years surfing other surfers' spots so why should we be so precious when others come here. Much is said about corporate greed, well it seems that we also show greed in another form by wanting all the good waves for ourselves.
Enjoy it while you have the youthful body to do it, there's nothing else like it.
Retirement......not when he reads this.
Slater is a man whose lost command of his performances in the clutch, that's what happens when you get older....The wiring gets a little looser, the neural connections a nanosecond slower
The ability to rely on instinct becomes by degree more unreliable
Mistakes once unfathomable become the norm : FreeRide 76
BKS will despise reading that ....With Fiji coming up.....FR you really stoked the fire.