Is Kelly Slater gone for good from the ASP World Tour?
With the end of 2011, one cannot help but feel a little depressed over the possibility of entering a year in which there would be no Kelly Slater competing in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour.
The 39-year-old American surfer sent a massive wave of sadness rippling through the surfing community by hinting in an interview during Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco that it may very well be his final World Title campaign.
For someone who has 11 World Titles to his name, the Florida-based surfer has already pretty much accomplished all there is to be accomplished in the sport. It may be ages before someone even comes close to threatening his record of most World Titles. He has crushed almost every surfer during competitions and made a huge contribution to the progression of the sport. It is also not easy to ignore the fact that surfing has managed to catch the attention of sporting fans all across the globe mainly because of Slater and his outstanding performances.
Even though there seems to be very little reason for the Cocoa Beach-resident to return to the World Tour in 2012, there is still a possibility that he may do exactly what he did at the beginning of the previous year.
After winning his 10th ASP World Title, Slater seemed all set to take his retirement from the elite tour. However, just a week before the first elite event of the season in Australia, the iconic surfer announced his intention to add one more title to his collection.
After sealing the fate of the 2011 World Tour at San Francisco, Slater had admitted that it was still too early to say with certainty that he was not going to be chasing his 12th World Title.
“I don't know. I didn't think I would be in this position at this point. I was going to bow out this year and pull back from competition full time. But then I started doing really well and the next thing you know, I won the title. That has happened for the last three or four titles. I get on a roll and can't pass up the chance to win another title,” Slater said while answer a question regarding participation in the 2012 ASP World Tour.
Slater also conceded that the 2011 World tour served as a very promising way to say farewell to the tour, though the way it had turned out also tempted him to take a shot at another World Title, his twelfth.
The surfing phenom has a pretty satisfying career so far. Ever since making his debut in the World Tour in 1991, he had been making a solid impact. Taking just one year to warm up to the level of competition at the biggest stage of surfing, Slater had gotten on with amassing World Title.
Despite dominating the competitions for nearly two decades, Slater claims that surfing is much more for him than winning events. Instead of getting out there and competing for waves, he enjoys free surfing.
Slater’s plan to compete in the next season of ASP World Tour is as big a mystery as it was last year. There is hardly anyone who would argue with the fact that the American would be one of the strongest contenders for the World Title if he competes.
There are hardly two months left before it becomes clear whether Slater’s plan on retiring from the elite tour is final, or if we will see his passion for the sport and craving to add yet another World Title to his collect would force him into making a u-turn.
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