Space Coast Sports Hall of Famer
ABOVE VIDEO: It was the first event of his first year on tour. He won the world title that first year, but he didn’t win Bells. The event challenged him like a few others. Now, 32 years later, as the greatest competitive surfer of all time prepares to step away from the heat of battle, we asked Kelly to spend some time with his old friend Tom, wandering around the Bells and Winkipop surf check spots, and talking through what he recalls of that time and about where he finds himself today. The conversation offers a rare and very candid glimpse into the changing heart of a champion, as Kelly tackles age (“Getting old sucks, man!”), his connection with three-time Bells champion Michael Peterson, the loss of friends, approaching fatherhood for the second time, why he still likes surfing heats, and yes, the R-word.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – In the twilight of his competitive career, Kelly Slater’s become increasingly candid. This interview, from the crew at Surfline, features a long form and casual conversation between Slater and his longtime friend, Tom Carroll. Conducted at Bells Beach last week, the pair discuss a wide range of topics, including retirement, fatherhood, getting older, and a whole lot more.
“‘I hear people say things about me retiring, like ‘You need to just retire’, blah blah, but I think people don’t understand what a life it’s been,’ Slater says in the interview above.
“In 1992, a 20-year-old rookie named Kelly Slater hopped a ride to Bells Beach with his buddy and mentor Tom Carroll. It was the first event of his first year on tour. He won the world title that first year, but he didn’t win Bells. The event challenged him like few others.”
Slater is preparing for a baby on the way with his partner Kalani.
CLICK HERE to read the full story on surfer.com>>>
Related Story:Space Coast Natives Kelly Slater, Caroline Marks Prepare for Margaret River Pro in Western Australia
11-time World Champion Slater is regarded as the greatest competitive surfer of all time, holding nearly every major record in the sport, including 11 World Titles, 56 CT victories, and being both the youngest and oldest World Champion in men’s history. He’s had a huge influence on the sport through his progressive surfing, competitive nature, and wave system technology.
Slater’s incredible career started with winning Rookie of the Year in 1990 and spans more than three decades. He won his first World Title in 1992 and his most recent Title in 2011.
In 2022, Slater claimed his 56th CT victory at Pipeline, just a few days before his 50th birthday. Now at age 52, Slater is in search of adding yet another World Title and a provisional Olympic qualification to his name.
Cocoa Beach is Home
Born in 1972 and raised in Cocoa Beach, where he still resides, Slater learned how to surf in the Atlantic waters at Fourth Street North with his older brother Sean and his younger brother Stephen.
In Slater’s opinion, Cocoa Beach is as good a place as any to develop the fundamentals and skills needed to be a championship surfer.
“It breaks farther out,” he says, “so it’s easier to learn. If I had the choice of learning in Florida or Hawaii, I’d choose Florida. You don’t try to run before you can walk.” Sebastian Inlet is still one of his favorite surfing venues.
As a perennial amateur champion, which included six Eastern Surfing Association and four national titles, Slater and his brother Sean started to appear in board-shorts ads in the mid-80s, and when he was ready to join the pro ranks in 1990, he was one of the most recognizable athletes in the sport of surfing.
Related Story:Space Coast Natives Kelly Slater, Caroline Marks Prepare for Margaret River Pro in Western Australia
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