Kelly Slater downs Mick Fanning to take out Volcom Fiji Pro – Surfing news
America’s Kelly Slater claimed top honours at the Volcom Fiji Pro after, the fourth of ten stops on the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, after getting the better of Australia’s Mick Fanning in the final at the main
event venue of Cloudbreak in Tavarua, Fiji, on Wednesday, June 12, 2013.
The 41-year-old Florida-based surfer rose to the number 1 spot on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour rankings following his latest success.
“What a day,” Slater said. “That was insane. When we stared out in the Final, Mick had position and I was a little deep, but the next one was unbelievable. I want to dedicate this to my brother and his wife and their new kid Van. He told me that if I missed
the birth of his son, that I’d better win, so this is for you. I want to say hi to everyone at home. What can I say, what a day.”
Both Slater and Fanning are considered among the best, if not the best, in the sport, with the former having 11 ASP World Titles to his name, whereas the latter claiming the World Title twice in his career already.
With pumping six-to-eight foot barrels on offer at Cloudbreak on the final day of the latest elite tour event, the American phenom was clearly having a time of his life. He had been spectacular during his quarter-final heat and even the young Hawaiian sensation
John John Florence, who is known for his barrel-riding prowess, was unable to come up with an adequate response to his rampage in the semi-finals.
Despite Slater being in an excellent form, many believed that if there was anyone who could have stalled his progress to the event title, it was none other than Fanning.
However, the Australian surfer failed to do what others in the event had failed to do before him.
As the final got underway, Slater asserted his dominance over his rival with a perfect-10 ride and went on to back it up with a near-perfect 9.80-point ride, thus registering a heat-total of 19.80 points.
Fanning got off to a great start as well, scoring a 9.20 off his first business-wave, but he needed to improve on that even further to have any real chance of beating his rival. However, he only managed to add an additional 6.67 points to his account, thus
finishing with a heat-total of 15.87 points.
Despite displaying great back-hand barrel-riding skills during the final, the Australian surfer was forced to settle for runner-up place. The result brought him up to number 2 spot on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour rankings.
The world’s top-34 will continue their campaign for the coveted ASP World Title at Oakley Pro Bali, which is scheduled to kick-off at Keramas, Bali, Indonesia, from June 18.
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