Kelly Slater, 11x World Champion and surfing’s proverbial GOAT, has been axed from the 2023 Championship Tour.
Sitting at 26th on the WSL rankings heading into the Margaret River Pro, Slater needed a solid result to avoid the Mid-Season Cut and secure a slot for the remainder of the season. However, he was knocked out in the Round of 32 by Australian, Liam O’Brien.
From the WSL press desk:
“In a historic heat, CT sophomore Liam O’Brien (AUS) eliminated the GOAT Kelly Slater (USA), ending his shot at making the Mid-season Cut. Both scored a near-excellent 7.83 (out of a possible 10), but O’Brien found a solid backup of 7.70. Both surfers had looked in year-best form at Margaret River, and the heat did not disappoint. With less than a minute to go, Slater had one more opportunity. He left everything out on the field, but the requirement exceeded the score.”
Despite the disappointment, Slater still had a positive outlook.
“I really felt like one of the heats where the magic was going to happen,” Slater said. “If you’re within 10 points, you got a shot if a wave comes. I felt good, I felt loose, and I didn’t feel stressed about the situation. I was really enjoying the day, it’s a beautiful day, and you know, we’re breathing.”
It’s no secret that a major goal for Slater has been to surf in the Olympics, which, during the upcoming Tokyo 2024 Games will be held at Teahupo’o, Tahiti (a longtime favorite spot for Slater). However, with the 2023 Championship Tour rankings being the top tier for qualification in the Games, Slater’s Olympic dreams are now in question.
There is hope, though, that Slater could be awarded wildcard slots in upcoming events on the 2023 Championship Tour season, and potentially jump the rankings and secure a slot to represent the USA at Paris 2024. He’s known for clutch performances, and a serious comeback isn’t outside of the realm of possibility.
Elsewhere on Day Three of competition at the Margaret River Pro, a handful of surfers on the bubble were able to avoid the Mid-Season Cut and continue their 2023 CT campaigns. However, other surfers weren’t so fortunate; Samuel Pupo, Jackson Baker, Zeke Lau, and Kolohe Andino fell short of the requirement, and got the axe.
Big drama; stay tuned for Day Four of the Margaret River Pro.
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