HOLY SNAPPERS!!!
Slater Slays Quik Pro Gold Coast, Leads The World

In 2006, the year he won his record eighth world championship, Kelly Slater said he would not compete in the following WCT event at Bells Beach. But after winning the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast only a few weeks earlier, The Champ changed his mind two days before the Bells contest started, which he went on to win, giving him some healthy momentum en route to Title #8. This year, Kelly went on record again saying that wasn’t intending on competing at Bells. But just as we went to press with this issue, he smoked rival Andy Irons before topping 2007 ASP Rookie of the Year Jeremy Flores and defending event/ ASP World Champ Mick Fanning to taste victory once again on the Gold Coast. After which, according to inside sources, there was no beer shower for Kelly, no supporters carrying him up the beach, very little fanfare at all, in fact. Was the Australian snubbing merely a way to coax the Champ into keeping his promise to give the rest of the Aussie leg a pass? 

Bells or no Bells, we have no way of knowing whether or not a ninth world title is on Slater’s agenda. But one thing’s for sure: Once you have nine, you simply have to go for 10. In the meantime, here’s Robert Kelly Slater, redirecting his priorities as usual at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Sequence: Dick Meseroll