“But Doubt Starts to Creep In”: Looking Back at 11x Champ Kelly Slater Winning Over the Epic Billabong at Age 49

Age is just a number. Time and time again, this saying is been proved right by many influential athletes across every sport. The surfing legend, Kelly Slater is no exception. The 11X world surf league champion first fell in love with big blue waves, when he was just a teen. Since then, his love for measuring the vastness of the ocean never faded. Even, when he was nearing 50, the legend did not retire from pursuing his beloved sport. 

Earlier this year, Slater again set the bar very high by winning the Pipeline pro championship after 30 years of his first triumph. He conquered the ferocious peaks of Pipeline with his excellent prompts and commendable flair. But what drives him to pocket every win that comes his way? Let’s find out.

Kelly Slater is ageless

Recently, in an interview with Game Time, Kelly Slater talked about his winning drive and his passion for surfing. The host Boomer Esiason congratulated Slater on conquering the world’s most dangerous wave, the Pipeline. Boomer inquisitively asked Salter about his thoughts on bagging a big win just before his 50th birthday.

Slater had rather an interesting reply to Boomer’s question. Kelly said, “I knew I could do it. But doubt starts to creep in when you haven’t won for a long time. You start to doubt your decisions and get a little nervous”. The 50-year-old surfer further added, “I knew I could do it. Sometimes the thing between your ears comes in the way”.

Read More: “We’d Be Really Extra Cold at Those Times”: $25 Million Worth Kelly Slater Once Struggled for a Basic Necessity During His Childhood

Clearly, Slater’s take on aging is just riveting. His zest and flawless surfing tricks prove Slater is just getting younger with each passing day.

Kelly Slater on retirement 

After accomplishing the big win in Hawaii in February 2022, Slater got emotional as he talked about his lifetime achievements. He fought back tears as he said, “it’s the best win of my life”. Apart from this, Slater even hinted to his fans about his retirement plans. “I don’t know how many more of these are going to happen. This honestly might be it, I might not show up to (the next contest at) Sunset (Beach)”. 

Throughout his surfing career, Slater defeated every treacherous wave with finesse. He truly is the demigod of the waves. His winning spree and drive to earn victory kept him young all these years. As Slater’s fans, we surely are not prepared for his retirement. But as his well-wishers, we only wish the best for whatever decision he makes regarding his career.

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