On This Day: AI Wins The Quik Pro France

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Reels

11th October, 2003

"I'm my own worst enemy," says Andy Irons after a Round 1 implosion, before recovering and setting up a run through the draw and a likely showdown with his arch-enemy.

Though it's thirty minutes long, shot in an old style screen ratio, and tops out at a bandwidth snatching 480 pixels resolution, this comp recap from 2003 is worth a squiz.

The sponsors look all endemic, ain't a Bailey Ladder or Bonsoy Brew Break to be seen. Kelly is fresh back from retirement as a six-time world champion. He's fighting one last battle with his hair line yet letting it all hang out in a floppy brown jacket. A reference to "Kelly's new board" is made but not followed through. It looks wider than the rest, though not as wide as the Wizard Sleeve - perhaps the shift in thinking was just taking root?

When it was filmed, AI was the new world champ though surfing as mercurial as ever: blitzing one comp, fritzing the next. A finals match with Slater was imminent - between Slater and Irons they won nine of the twelve contests in 2003  - though Phil Macca got in the middle of that rendezvous, recording his equal best result.

Comments

OHV500's picture
OHV500's picture
OHV500 Wednesday, 11 Oct 2023 at 4:53pm

Hows the curve on the boards :)

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Wednesday, 11 Oct 2023 at 7:38pm

Sick

More tubes please's picture
More tubes please's picture
More tubes please Wednesday, 11 Oct 2023 at 8:03pm

We miss you Andy!

PCS PeterPan's picture
PCS PeterPan's picture
PCS PeterPan Wednesday, 11 Oct 2023 at 9:12pm

I reckon Andy spent a lot of himself in being the one to end Kelly's domination of the sport . He had the skillset but perhaps needed better mentors to help him in that quest .
Knowing the strategies Kelly used to be the best, it would have been daunting .
To get to the top with KS on the comeback and get two more titles , only AI could do it . So sad he didn't get a handle on the drugs earlier .

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Thursday, 12 Oct 2023 at 12:03am

Even though Kelly didn't win some how quiksilver made it all about him.....
Not sure how this fits
Yet it's kinda awkward to watch at points , yet awesome at others.
The era were an Aus pro would start a sentence with "awww fuck mate........ you know".
Pivotal time in surf history.

It kinda explains Kelly's annoying persona on social media.
Quik execs should hang your/ their heads in shame.......

ryder's picture
ryder's picture
ryder Thursday, 12 Oct 2023 at 8:35am

Ahhhh... the Dream Tour!

kimbo1's picture
kimbo1's picture
kimbo1 Thursday, 12 Oct 2023 at 12:50pm

Do you know if you watch the Duranbah Cam a white car will drive past

Stef_Olly's picture
Stef_Olly's picture
Stef_Olly Friday, 13 Oct 2023 at 2:19pm

Epic footage and even better soundtrack!

BarbB's picture
BarbB's picture
BarbB Saturday, 14 Oct 2023 at 11:07am

awesome. Andy