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VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 25: 11X time World Champion Kelly Slater of USA advances to Round 4 of the 2019 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach after winning Heat 1 of Round 3 at Bells Beach on April 25, 2019 in Victoria, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Cestari/World Surf League via Getty Images)
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VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 25: 11X time World Champion Kelly Slater of USA advances to Round 4 of the 2019 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach after winning Heat 1 of Round 3 at Bells Beach on April 25, 2019 in Victoria, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Cestari/World Surf League via Getty Images)
When it comes to surfing, Kelly Slater needs no introduction. Slater is even considered the “GOAT” of surfing. Having won 11 World Surf League (WSL) titles and 55 event titles, Kelly is not only an inspiration in the entire sporting world. Slater is still on the professional scene and is going strong in his 50s.
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The 11-time world champ has had a notable surfing career since the year he began. As he has already become the GOAT of surfing, Slater’s surfing story is pretty impressive for someone at his age who is still carrying on his legacy.
A tale of Kelly Slater
Born in 1972 in Cocoa Beach, Florida, the ocean has always been close to the pro surfer since his birth. Kelly Slater started surfing when he was just five years old.
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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)
In surfing, he has every single title, including the WSL title 11 times. Slater got into the professional scene of the sport back in 1990. Since then, he has become both the youngest and oldest men’s world champion. He won his first world title at just 20 years old in 1992.
NEWS OF THE DAY :
Kelly Slater is both the youngest and oldest surfing world champion.
Since his first title at the age of 20, he has won 11 world championship titles, the last one being in 2011 when he was 39#AthleteVR #newsoftheday pic.twitter.com/D4YsPzrlhb— AthleteVR (@AthleteVR) November 20, 2022
Having won five consecutive titles between 1993 and 1998, Slater dominated the sport before his short retirement in 1999. Although it was a short-term retirement, the surfing legend was back in the game in 2002.
After his return, he continued to win global titles, including the most recent in 2011.
Other expertise that Slater possesses:
The professional surfer isn’t just interested in sports. He has also helped the surfing world with new technologies and pushed the world of surfing to another level.
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PENICHE, PORTUGAL – MARCH 6: Eleven-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater of the United States prior to surfing in Heat 8 of the Round of 16 at the MEO Pro Portugal on March 6, 2022 in Peniche, Portugal. (Photo by Thiago Diz/World Surf League via Getty Images)
All of his great projects also include wave technology. In 2015, Kelly Slater Wave Co. brought technology to its finest level of function. It was a huge success for him and the sport.
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Slater also has a sustainable clothing line known as Outerknown. It didn’t receive a lot of backlash because of the high prices, but the legend was heavily focused on the development of the environment.
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What do you think of the decorative career of Kelly Slater? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
