If you’re at all familiar with surfing (and I am, just) then you will know the name Kelly Slater. The 43-year-old has been surfing professionally for 25 years and, if his latest showing is anything to go by, he doesn’t seem keen on winding down just yet.
Slater was competing in the 2015 Hurley Pro at Trestles in California, his heat pitting him against shark puncher Mick Fanning, when he pulled off a move that has surf enthusiasts the world over engaged in heated discussion. Here’s Huffington Post detailing the move:
Slater goes for a wave early in his heat and launches himself off the lip of the wave, while rotating in the air. He disconnects while spinning with it and lands on his stomach in the white wash.
Then, in one quick and fluid motion, Slater grabs his board, places it underneath him, pops back up and continues surfing the latter part of the wave where he snaps a few turns and even executes a backside 360 — all like it’s no big deal.
Pretty off the hook right, except the judges awarded him a measly 4,17 points (out of a possible 10) for the ride. They ruled the wave as incomplete on the grounds that he did not land on his feet after the aerial acrobatics, a call that angered many watching:
Sam George, a prominent surf journalist, pointed to the WSL judge’s inconsistent judging throughout the competition. “To award Slater’s display of spontaneous magic a 4.17 was a disgrace,” he wrote…
Others wagged their fingers at the judges’ “by the book” methodology, saying “sometimes you have to throw that book out the window.”
“Surfing is not gymnastics,” a surf blogger wrote…”It’s an extreme sport where you go for the craziest shit you can think of and try to ride out.”
Slater, being the uber cool cat that he is, took it all in his stride and posted this to his Instagram account:
Like a boss mate, 25 years and still going strong.
[source:huffingtonpost]
