Surfing the Fine Line Between Life and Death on Water Still Scares 11x World Champ

The surfing icon Kelly Slater needs no introduction. Remember, last year when Slater competed against the world’s best surfers and clinched the title of World Surf League in Oahu just a week shy of his 50th birthday? Well, he did so in the most spectacular fashion. That’s how prominent Kelly Slater is in the world of surfing. For Slater, age is just a number. However, his love for surfing again made Slater participate in this year’s Billabong competitions on the North shore of Hawaii. Now, while surfing fans are aware of what drives Slater to reach the oceanic pinnacle, many are oblivious to the fears the surfer has. However, the legend has finally shared what he is the most afraid of.

Kelly Slater’s upcoming series, Make or Break is all set to air on 17th Feb 2023, six days after the legend’s 51st birthday. In the Apple TV series, the icon can be seen sharing the ebbs and flows a surfer has to face for making it big in the surfing world. Nevertheless, during a promotional interview, Slater opened up about the things that make him apprehensive. 

What makes Kelly Slater anxious?

On 30th January, the 11x World Surf League champion appeared in an interview with Forbes. The surfer profoundly answered a series of intriguing questions asked by the interviewer, Jim Clash. Interestingly, Clash asked Slater about his fears and his coping mechanism. On this, the surfer replied, “I’m afraid of drowning”.

Revealing his list of fears, the surfer further added that he is afraid of “getting a really bad injury on a shallow-water reef riding a big wave”, and called his fears “realistic dangers”. Nevertheless, sharing his outlook on dealing with trepidations, the champion said, “once you’ve decided to put yourself in harm’s way, there’s no reason to be scared”.

Read More: “Surprised” Kelly Slater Once Revealed How Countries Like Iran and Afghanistan Make Him Proud of Surfing Culture

While surfing big, hollow waves is so diabolically dangerous that it may sometimes cause fatal accidents, Slater rather holds a different perspective. As per the surfing demigod, “it’s assessing your fear, calculating it, judging it as best you can, and accepting the outcome”. Not just that, Slater also has a valuable counsel for budding surfers.

Slater’s advice for the coming generations of surfers

The surfing legend asserts that surfing fanatics should “move to the beach”. Slater believes that “if you want to be a surfer. You have to be somewhere you can surf every day”. Interestingly, the champion further conceded “you just need to feel how the ocean moves, it’s energy”. This is something that Slater expressed through his incredible performance at this year’s Billabong Pipeline pro in Hawaii. 

Just a couple of days away from his 51st birthday, Slater still is unstoppable. In the words of the legend himself, “there’s a lot more than riding a wave that goes into surfing”. We now know how Slater handles every peak and valley that comes his way. Nonetheless, this is what makes Slater one of the best in the field, don’t you think?

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