Slater in doubt for J'Bay
"Strange looking things, feet. I’ve had 5 foot injuries now since 2003, the latest coming last week with a strained ligament on the same foot I injured last year. Not a major injury but puts me in doubt for J'Bay."
So goes the proactive sick note from the 11-time world champ. Slater has yet to surf a CT heat this year, complications to the foot injury he recieved last year keeping him, not quite out of the water - he surfed the Founders Cup and the recent XXXL swell at Cloudbreak - but off the Championship Tour.
If Slater doesn't surf it'll be his sixth injury withdrawal in a row, which, taken at face value, would surely qualify him for one of next year's injury wildcards.
Meanwhile, Julian Wilson, who ruptured the AC joint in his shoulder three weeks before Snapper - a contest he won despite barely being able to paddle - is now wearing the yellow jersey.
Comments
'puts me in doubt' so he wants to do the maybe I won't maybe I will show game again. Injury wildcard next year ? You have to be joking. Let him surf his pond event and retire or retire him by sending him to the QS. This shambles from the GOAT really is ridiculous and equally paints the WSL poorly.
my 2 cents, he'll use a wildcard so he can stay "in touch" for the olympics
48! hard to imagine he could do it, but good luck to him
Im off him. He has left a real bad taste in my mouth. Is that picture even relative too his latest injury? Im sensing miraculous recovery if the forecast is good. The fact that he can pull this shit all year yet surf in his own wave pool comp blows my mind..
Me too. Very bad taste. So over him.
Wouldn't it be great if he had a good think and look at himself and then issued a press release saying "I thought long and hard about this, and I realise that I've been sitting on the fence and taking advantage of the situation. The reality is, that after xx years on the tour I'm scared shitless of being irrelevant and not among the action. It's been my life, and I find it hard to say goodbye for good."
honesty at its best...don't hold your breath
You don't have to hold your breath. You can realise the truth and carry on. Whatever you get from anybody else is surplus. If you can use it fine, if not get drunk and wonder.
Sorry, I think I am talking to myself.
My prediction...
Perfect swell hits Skeleton Bay while J'Bay is on. Slater flies to Namibia, surfs for two days, carpet bombs Instagram with photos and no-one at WSL HQ blinks.
Ok, I understand.
A week later Slater enters Chopes, bombs in RD 2, tells the world he "wasn't at the level I wanted to be to compete" and the WSL issues a retrospective injury clause for 11- time champs and part-owners. Gets marked as injury withdrawal. Goes and surfs pumping G'Land.
Think some could do with tissues for their issues.
Hell. It give a wild card a go ffs (if that's what they are for).
He’s staying on tour just to surf pipe and chopes with no one out. The man has every angle covered. Long live king Goat!
Playing devil's advocate here, there is some argument competing at WCT events requires surfers to fit themselves into time-frames outside their control and push themselves on waves and into scenarios which the free-surfer has the option of pulling back from.
If a footy player is recovering from an injury they often still train, participate in opposed sessions and maybe even get some game time in the lower grades before fully exposing their injury to the rigours of competing at the highest level.
Just because his foot still allows him to surf (and arguably very well) does not automatically mean he is able to push it in the premier competition. And if you can get away with resting it longer - which he seems to be able to - why risk further injury to either his foot (or his brand) by coming back too early.
"If a footy player is recovering from an injury they often still train, participate in opposed sessions and maybe even get some game time in the lower grades before fully exposing their injury to the rigours of competing at the highest level."
Just like KS surfing supersized Cloudbreak haha
Two words: Flounders Cup.
Two words, flat fish.
Good news for Mikey Wright.
If I was him I'd send Slater a soccer ball.
Nice laugh guys! The Pool Buoy as some towel flicking WSL wax dummy.
Zhooshing up the cushions in WSL Beauty Salon Birdwatchers Bar...
[11] [5] [3] [2] [1]...'Hop to it! Sticky tape & Eraser pencils to the Surf Traffic Control Tower!'
Quick dip in the shorebreak for smoko as WSL shield anklet has Champ on a short leash.
'Pineapples! More Pineapple Juice! [No Plastic straws!..You fool!] You washed up nobody!'
'Now lick clean the WSL Royal Slater cutlery set !' 'You missed a bit !' [1] [2] [3] [5] [11]
Of course, I could replace him, I will write shit. I always say that.
I may have been talking to someone else, in my brain, or in my room, my room is spooky.
This little piggy had a house in Maui, this little piggy had a several interests in nice Islands, this little piggy had family, this little piggy had several surf boards, this little piggy was unsure of where he wanted to go in the future, this little piggy had a nice surf car, this little piggy liked golf, this little piggy loved life, this little piggy wants surfing to be accessible.
This little piggy wants give this author of this comment, one week at his ranch. It is hypnotism.
I am good at endings.
And he went all the way home, ok, I am not good at endings.
These bones are like Saints bones of ages, they, in their DNA, have every memory of every wave that the upper part did. So if your surfing in the future, when you pack your keys, enable your shark device and put you supposed bone in its spot, your off!
I am such a Futurist.
The Hamlet Version
Hamlet has a dead foot in his hand.
Hamlet says, "I know this foot, it parried many a wave"
"Floated, barrelled, cruised, danced"
Hamlet gives the foot back to the gravedigger and walks away.
Apologies to Shakespeare, Kelly, poets and all and sundry.
Yeah why would we want to watch a 11 times world champ when they can add another Brazilian.
Soon to be the BSL.
So many folks quick to bash KS. The man has created options for himself through years of dominating performance, plain and simple. I doubt 99% of the commenters on this board have these kind of options, which is why they are quick to react negatively. KS carved a path nobody else has ever done in the surfing world, or professional athletics for that matter.
Why wouldn't he take advantage of his own options when he can? These envious hypocrites definitely would.
I agree SoCal Steve, IMO Slater owes nothing to the WSL. He has been one of the biggest drawcards for so many years, people come to competitions or have watched vidoes just to see him. It's amazing how people forget this so quickly.
He's 46 years old, can still surf far better than 99% of the people on the planet...but he's got a sore foot, give him a break!
On another note, even as keyboard warriors that we are, we have no fucking idea about what the real story is. We can only guess from the press feed that we get from Swellnet and the other sources. So our opinions are only based on the news that we read which is superficial at best.
Simple answer socal is that no one likes to be bullshitted to.
Exactly, Simba.
Be honest, and never abuse privilege.
You had the White Lion, I had Hamlet, my motivation was the bone thing. I had forgotten about Simba.
Ok, Simba above, crikey!
Simba, I'm not sure how choosing to take break for a 46 year old who has shared x-rays of a broken foot at J-Bay last year and broken toes this year is bullshitting. Not likely his doctors Photoshopped those images.
I'm 55 and trust me, we don't heal the same at this age. Yet when KS is healthy, he surfs better than most guys half his age. Selecting to surf a "few" barrels in Fiji or Tahiti is probably less strain on the body than surfing several competitive heats. Chances are we will see him retire soon, but let the legend do it as it own pace. He has clearly earned it, and just the possibility of him surfing any of the upcoming events is simply keeping the WSL alive and well.
And Flounders Cup? Minute-long, super technical waves?
He's taking the piss, and he's shortchanging himself and his devaluing legacy in the process.
Hmmmm...not sure what the cup has to do with his Kelly's health, but I guess you are entitled to your opinion IB.
Yeah, his value seems to be plummeting as we speak...as did Andy Irons when he passed away. Because of Andy's degrading value, they respectively named events in AI's honor, continue to discuss his legacy to this day, and even continue to brand clothes after Andy. Kelly certainly doesn't deserve this kind of legacy recognition....lol.
The "Founders Cup" was Kelly's respectful recognition of other legacy's (MR, PT, Shawn Thompson, Ian Cairnes, etc) who pioneered this sport. Should we bash them to because they attended the event, and you choose to degrade the elite level they earned as professionals?
If I had to guess, you have a very negative attitude towards anything KS. This conversation is clearly pointless.
No, I don't. Truely! The man is a legend, and he's still a phenomenal surfer. Still think he's being dishonest, though.
Re Founders Cup, I meant that his foot obviously was fit enough to surf really hard on very long waves. That's all.
It's all good, IB! I'm probably reading too far into this anyway. Enjoy the weekend, mate.
"The "Founders Cup" was Kelly's respectful recognition of other legacy's (MR, PT, Shawn Thompson, Ian Cairnes, etc) who pioneered this sport."
???
Yeah that was the name of the event but they didnt surf it. It was a dead ahead high performance event that Jordy and Felipe and Kelly surfed - and Kelly didn't hold back on because he had a...cough, cough, sore foot.
So apologies if people are a little cynical. He's taking the piss because he can. His manager part owns and runs the WSL, and like everyone is saying he's the Golden Goose, people want to see him.
But if the sport wants to be taken seriously - and over the years Kelly has pushed that line more than anyone - then it needs transparency and professionalism, otherwise we'll just have a rolling bunch of Expression Sessions.
Sounds like that's all you and others want anyway.
Please retire gracefully Kelly, you don't need to prove anything to anybody. Get some wildcards to some decent events and everybody will be happy.
Are you talking about the princess or the prince?
Hamlet Extended Version
Narrator - Hamlet is packing his board in his car, then goes to have one look at the surf. He sees a poor man running around the surf picking flotsam and jetsam. The person seems animated and tossing a item around. So Hamlet goes down out of curiosity.
Hamlett goes down the precarious cliff successfully and approaches this seemingly insane individual.
Pray, what do you have there peasant?
End of Part one
A bit awkward! Perhaps an OZ translation...(No it's Not a Weet-Bix Commercial)
U.S. sits twirling Hero Worship Loops for brunch
OZ demoralizes a dozen or more Tall Poppy bix at crack of dawn (No time for slops!)
e.g. (Weet-Bix Kid) OZ Cricket Captain Steve Smith is a legendary (TPS) role model.
Simple formula: Add one Weet-Bix for Each Baggy Green Century.(Too many Centuries?)
OZ knows if you crumble a Weet-Bix...(Shit hits the fan!) Argue all you like it don't count.
Can't handle the load... OZ will kick the shit outta ya then bury you alive...fair enough too!
(Weet-Bix Kid) Socceroo Timmy Cahill piles on another for each corner post he takes out.
Go Socceroos! 4 Corner Posts each game...Le Poo Poo France!
(Weet- Bix Kid) Steph must add a Weet-Bix for each WSL Title to ward off TPS.
Note: Steph gives Weet-Bix Grom Mickey a spray then spares some 'Weet-Bix' WSL tile fuel.
How can Mickey dodge Femlin Spray? Does he get the dose right? How many do you do?
[WARNING] Vid' has no Mullet or Grom Sub Titles...
Mickey Wright & Stephanie Gilmore - Weet-Bix 2013 - YouTube
Part Two
Hamlet pulls this nutcase out of the surf, blubbering, frothing, wheeling.
They both rest for awhile and then when they are rested, they laugh. What energy they had left was left to laughing, they fall asleep. The tide comes high, they both awake, they pull each other from the surf.
They are both cold, so, they walk up the hill. They both can see fires burning.
Part Three
Horatio thanks Hamlet effusely. Hamlet drags Horatio to the fire, mead and food.
It was the bone thing that promoted me, not to sure if it has any meaning.