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RIO DE JANEIRO, RIO – MAY 12: Kelly Slater of the United States of America surfs during his Round 1 heat at the Oi Rio Pro on May 12, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Daniel Smorigo/World Surf League via Getty Images)
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RIO DE JANEIRO, RIO – MAY 12: Kelly Slater of the United States of America surfs during his Round 1 heat at the Oi Rio Pro on May 12, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Daniel Smorigo/World Surf League via Getty Images)
Leave it to Kelly Slater to surprise the world, and he would never fail to. The iconic Slater, who is the youngest and oldest surfer to win a World Surfing League Championship in Hawaii, again shocked everyone with his impressive feat in early 2022.
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Slater had pulled off a near to impossible win, giving young competitors a tough fight.
Kelly Slater goes above and beyond
In February 2022, the legendary Slater participated in the Billabong Pro Pipeline. The 11-time WSL champion stole a last-second win to confirm his place in the event’s quarter-finals.
50 year old Kelly Slater needing a 7.18 to win his heat with 5 seconds left and he just pulled off this 9.23 🐐🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/pmTX9NKQKf
— Darrin 🇺🇸 (@dazdix) February 2, 2022
During the race, Slater just had five seconds to score a 7.18 and win the race. However, just when everyone thought it was the end of the tournament for Slater, he swiftly pulled into a huge barrel, performing an almost perfect 9.23-point.
The legendary surfer not just surprised the audience, but also his fellow competitors.
Post the race, while talking with Yahoo, an emotional Slater stated, “That’s why we do it, you know, having that kind of moment.”
Slater was about to turn 50 back then, was the oldest competitor in the Pipeline was also very appreciative of the young talents. “I know it’s early in the contest, but Barron is the next generation out there. It was just a pleasure to surf against him,” he said while praising Barron Mamiya, whom he had beaten to win the final place.
However, this was not the first time that Slater had stunned everyone with a last-second win. He couldn’t believe how many times fate had turned in his favor.
Slater said, “It’s just crazy thinking back on 30 years, how many times that has happened to me, just gone my way.” Later, Slater went on to win eight pipeline titles after 30 years of winning the previous one!
How Slater became the GOAT of surfing
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The 50-year-old Kelly Slater has been competing in professional surfing since the young age of 10. No other surfer has ever had a career as successful and long as Slater. He has been dominating the game for the last three decades now. But what made Slater so famous?
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HALEIWA, HAWAII – FEBRUARY 5: Eleven-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater of the United States after winning the Final at the Billabong Pro Pipeline on February 5, 2022 in Haleiwa, Hawaii. (Photo by Tony Heff/World Surf League via Getty Images)
Just like his recent feat in Billabong Pipeline, Slater’s first big win also came in Hawaii Pipeline Masters. This big win helped Slater achieve his first out of 11 titles at 20. Hence, making him the youngest surfer ever to win the WSL title.
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This was just the beginning of Slater’s magnificent career, and even today he continues to shock the sporting world with his feats. On many occasions, the surfer has confessed that he wants to continue swimming till his body supports him.
