Check out this great article about Ke11y winning his 11th world title by Surf Station’s own Zander Morton!
Transworld Surf
Kelly Slater: 11-Time ASP World Champion
Kelly Slater and Andy Irons will forever be linked with one another. Today, that bond got stronger.
With Kelly’s win over Dan Ross in Round 3 of the Rip Curl Search San Francisco, he has officially claimed his 11th ASP World Title on the one-year anniversary of close friend and rival Andy Irons’ tragic passing.
Call it what you will, we’ll call it fate. This is more than coincidence, but rather the universe’s way of telling us something: Without Andy Irons, Slater’s post 90’s title run might never happen, and today, there’s a good chance he isn’t celebrating number 11.
After Kelly’s sixth title in 1998, he retired. The wins had come too easy. He was bored, unmotivated, and unchallenged by the tour at that point in his career and decided to step away.
And then came Andy Irons, and we all know what happened next…
From 2002 until 2006, a period of five years, a confident, cocky, outspoken A.I. gave Slater the first (and only) longstanding title battle of his 20 year ASP career. From ’02-’04, Irons would come out on top, and along the way hand Slater his most crushing loss, in 2003, in the final of the Pipeline Masters. Slater had lost his father late the previous year after a battle with lung cancer, and wanted nothing more than to win in dedication of his Dad. Andy smashed that dream, and it admittedly took Slater another 12-months to get his head around the defeat. While Slater was reeling, Andy won his third consecutive world title in 2004.
In 2005, after a six-year drought, Slater barely edged Andy (he won by exactly 102 points) for his seventh world title, and then again relegated A.I. to runner up in 2006 when Slater claimed number eight. At that point, Andy lost the voodoo he held over him, and never again regained it. But no matter, Kelly had found his winning formula thanks to his tense rivalry with A.I. and continued down a path of racking up world titles.
And now, here we are. The greatest surfer the world will ever see just won his 11th title on the anniversary of the death of his greatest rival.
“The conditions, the weather, everything is just so good today. Someone is looking over us, and it’s probably Andy,” said Slater on the webcast after the win, and then continued. “I was thinking, what are the chances this would happen on the anniversary of Andy passing away? It makes this a lot more special for me, it’s a way to celebrate my memories of him. It’s been on my mind really strong for about two days now. This is a good way to remember Andy”
Congratulations, Ke11y, and RIP A.I.
November 2nd, 2011 is a celebration for you both. — Zander Morton
Photo: English
ASP Press Release:
Kelly Slater Claims Historic 11th ASP World Title at Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco
OCEAN BEACH, San Francisco/California (Wednesday, November 2, 2011) –Kelly Slater (USA), 39, has claimed a historic 11th ASP World Title today, clinching the year-long pursuit with his advancement out of Round 3 at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco.
In pristine three-to-five foot (1 – 1.5 metre) peaks at Ocean Beach, Slater fought back to an inspired start from opponent Dan Ross (AUS), 28, to claim victory in the dying moments in front of a capacity crowd at Ocean Beach.
“It was a scrappy heat, I didn’t win it in the most effortless style,” Slater said. “I’ve had a lot of heats with Rossy (Dan Ross) this year, and he’s real dangerous with a little power so I knew he’d be dangerous and I was nowhere to be found in the beginning of that heat. I was hunting those lefts and they were fading off I was thinking ‘why am I taking off on these things.’ I knew I had to get in on some of those rights. That wave had a nice open face and I thought it’d probably be just enough.”
After a banner year that witnessed the iconic Floridian make five of nine Finals (thus far) and post three wins, Slater seems to be surfing at the top of his game.
“This is pretty fabulous,” Slater said. “Two days ago in the afternoon it was chunky and small and didn’t look inviting at all. Yesterday was nice and today looks like a nice day in France. I don’t know, this hasn’t sunk in. I’ve been pretty stressed about it and I’m glad it’s over. It’s very fulfilling and there’s personal satisfaction. It feels real nice. I’ve dedicated my life to surfing and competing and to go a whole year and win a world title and have it pay off, it’s really fulfilling. To win on American soil is nice. Everyone’s been so cool and the locals have been so stoked. It’s been a special time. It’s been warm and offshore and a nice little swell. Someone’s looking over us and probably Andy (Irons).”
Photo: English
Today’s clinching of the 2011 ASP World Title comes on the one-year anniversary of the passing of Andy Irons. Irons, who is credited with being a defining force in Slater’s career, was once a bitter rival of the champ (claiming three consecutive ASP World Titles himself) but became a close friend and confidant in recent years. The symbolism of today was not lost on Slater.
“It’s sort of weird and I’ve been thinking about a lot of things coming together,” Slater said. “What are the chances of me winning on the anniversary of Andy passing away? It makes it a lot more special for me. It’s a way to celebrate my memories with him and be thinking about him. It’s been on my mind and I wrote a story about him the other day. It’s a time to think back.”
2011 ASP World Title Series Results:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: WINNER
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Equal 5th
Billabong Rio Pro: Equal 13th
Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay: No Show
Billabong Pro Tahiti: WINNER
Quiksilver Pro New York: Runner-Up
Hurley Pro at Trestles: WINNER
Quiksilver Pro France: Equal 5th
Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Runner-UP
Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco: TBD
Billabong Pipeline Masters: TBD
With the 2011 ASP World Title sealed, Slater is now focused on performing in the event at hand, the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco.
“I’m refocusing on another win here,” Slater said. “I’ve accomplished the year goal. I definitely feel like I can go out and surf a lot more relaxed now. It’s really nice to win here in these conditions with so many people on the beach, I thought it’d be freezing cold and onshore and it’s been amazing.”
Having claimed his first ASP World Title in 1992 at the age of 20, Slater still boasts the record for the youngest-ever ASP World Title holder. Now at 39 years of age, Slater holds the record of being the oldest ASP World Champion ever, but was characteristically coy regarding any talk of retirement.
“I think 39 is actually pretty young to most people,” Slater said. “I guess in the past, you would top out once you hit 30, but that’s definitely not the case now. I feel like I’m surfing at the highest level of my career and I feel like I can keep going. I haven’t thought about it too much, but I plan on relaxing for the rest of the year and enjoying my time in Hawaii. We’ll see what 2012 brings to the table.”
Kelly Slater’s ASP World Title Clinch Locations:
2011: Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco – USA
2010: Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico – USA Territory
2008: Billabong Pro Mundaka – Basque/Spain
2006: Billabong Pro Mundaka – Basque/Spain
2005: Nova Schin Festival – Brazil
1998: Mountain Dew Pipeline Masters – Hawaii
1997: Expo 98 Figueira 97 – Portugal
1996: Coca Cola Figueira 96 – Portugal
1995: Chiemsee Pipe Masters – Hawaii
1994: Chiemsee Gerry Lopez Pipe Masters – Hawaii
1992: Alternativa Surf Rio – Brazil
Photo: English
He didn’t really. Check your facts.
He didn’t what?