LETTING GO? NOT EXACTLY
Slater Is Hanging On Loosely To History
by Chris Mauro

Kelly Slater has had his eyes on every record in the ASP history books for quite some time now. Apparently you have to search long and hard for motivational techniques when you’ve got all the titles you can possibly use. Last year, right here at Trestles, Slater finally surpassed Tom Curren’s record of 33 career ASP tour victories with his 34th win. Today, 36-year-old Slater nabbed his 39th career victory only 18-years after his first win ever as a pro (which also came here at Trestles). 

Last year’s win gave him full ownership of almost every major stat in the book: World titles, prize money, career victories, youngest world champ, oldest world champ, most victories in a season (he’s actually tied with Curren and Hardman on that one, but Kelly’s 7 victories came in 1996, on a season with three fewer events than Curren’s record year, the closest rival in that department).

All was seemingly right with Kelly’s world right up until Mick Fanning continued on his incredible tear in 2007. But it wasn’t Mick’s world title that bothered Slater. It was how Mick did it. Fanning’s utter dominance surpassed even Slater’s best season in terms of his winning percentage. In the record books for the most dominant year ever, Fanning currently sits all alone at the top.

Such a notion apparently hasn’t been sitting well with Slater.

This became glaringly apparent to me back in May after Kelly clinched his 3rd win of the then young season. Sitting alone, poolside on Tavarua after his win, I wanted to get a feel for his own understanding of where he stood. I asked him how many career victories he had, even though I already knew the answer. “This was my 37th,” he said, smiling. “I finally passed my age in victories.”  He was rightfully very proud of this fact, as evidenced by the huge smile he’d been wearing for hours.

But then I followed with another question I already knew the answer to. “Your three for four now,” I began. “Man, I wonder what Mick’s win percentage was last year? Do you remember?” 

Kelly’s smile vanished in a hurry. His eyes got narrow and he actually looked pissed as he shot me a steely, “No...I don’t know.”

I didn’t press the matter, for fear of spoiling the moment. Besides, his look said it all, because it didn’t mesh at all with his words. Don’t kid yourself. Kelly knows exactly what Mick has taken from him, even if he hasn’t gone public on wanting it back. He keeps stuff like that buried way deep down, much like surpassing his age in wins.

But with his amazing 5th win of the season under his belt now after just 7 events, ASP record wonks like myself have a duty to raise awareness to this issue. After all, his 9th world title is all but a foregone conclusion. A few toes in the water and this season is sealed. The only thing left for Kelly to figure out now is whether or not, at the age of 36, he can add to his amazing collection of feats by reclaiming the best season ever in ASP history. Something tells me he doesn’t want to let that one go.

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