Kelly Slater – The Greatest Surfer Of All Times

Who is Kelly Slater? There are not many people on the planet that would ask this question. The 11 time world surfing champion has long ago crossed the line between being a really good surfer and being an international celebrity. Books, music, movies, charities, magazine covers, TV shows, billboards… you name it, Kelly already did it. But still in his core Kelly Slater is a surfer. The best and by far most successful surfer in the history of our sport. With his 11 world titles he could be the best athlete in the world – period. In no other sport a single man was so dominant over a so long period of time. Kelly won his first world title in 1992 when he was 20 years old making him the youngest world champion and he won his 11th world title in 2011 when he was 39 making him also the oldest word surfing champion stretching his dominance in this sport over 20 years (btw, in 2012 season he was 2nd). Along the way he broke every possible record out there. So this part of the website is dedicated to him. Biography, surfing career, victories, world titles, personal life, books and music and more.

Kelly Slater
Kelly Slater – the greatest surfer of all times.

Biography

Parents

Even Kelly was a grom.
Even Kelly was a grom. Photo: DUGAN/ESM

Kelly Slater is a son Steve Slater and Judy Moriarity. They got married on May 27, 1967 and settled in a small town called Cocoa Beach. Kelly Slater (Robert Kelly Slater) was born on February 11, 1972 in Cocoa Beach in Florida. Kelly has two brothers – older Sean Slater and younger Stephen Slater.

Surfing

He started surfing when he was in kindergarten. At first he only rode bodyboards (standing up). He entered his first surfing competition in 1980 when he was eight years old and won his division on his bodyboard!
Kelly got his first real surfboard in 1980. Together with his brother Sean they entered a few contest and also 1981 ESA Championships in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Kelly was there first faced with bigger waves and finished last in his category. His home breaks where he learned how to surf are Cocoa Beach and Sebastian Inlet, both in Florida, USA.

A few quick facts

Home: Although he was born in Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA, Kelly has houses all over the world.
Surf stance: He has a regular (natural) foot stance on a surfboard. That means he surfs with his left leg in front and his right leg in the back.
Weight: He weights around 160 lbs (72kgs)
Height: 5’9” (175cm)
Sponsors: Quiksilver (longtime main sponsor) and other spnsors like Boost mobile, Channel Islands surfboards, Komunity Project accessories etc…
Shaper: His primary shaper that makes most of his surfboards is Al Merrick.
Favorite surf spots: Kirra (Australia) and Pipe (Hawaii).
Favorite surfers: Tom Curren, Tom Carroll, Mark Occhilupo, Martin Potter, Andy Irons, Shane Dorian, Andy Irons, Josh Kerr and Dane Reynolds.
Hobbies: golf, music, fishing
Marriage: he has daughter named Taylor, but is not married.

Surfing career and records broken

Quiksilver
Quiksilver, his longtime sponsor.

WORLD TITLES: Kelly Slater is 11 time world champion which is a record number of world title victories by far. Layne Beachley from Australia which is the most successful woman surfer of all times has 7 titles. Mark Richards, also from Australia that is second behind Slater has 5 world titles. Slater has won his titles in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011.

AGE: He is the youngest (at age 20) and the oldest (at age 39) to win the world title.

VICTORIES: By winning the Boost Mobile Pro event at Lower Trestles near San Clemente, California in 2007 he became the all-time leader in career event wins. Today he has 60 victories of which 55 were WCT sanctioned events. By winning at Lowers in 2007 he surpassed his childhood hero and 3-time world champion Tom Curren, who is now second with 33 event victories.

HEAT WINS: He also has the most heat wins of all times.

TWO PERFECT TENS: In the 2005 Billabong Tahiti Pro contest at Teahupoo, Kelly Slater also became the first surfer who scored two perfect 10. This is the maximum possible amount of points in a surfing heat (it should be noted here that judging criteria used to be different and more that two waves were taken into the final score in the past).

A list of all Kelly Slaters Surfing Victories

If you count all the wins in this list you the number will be higher than the one stated above. This is because some other important but not WCT sanctioned events are listed here (like Eddie in Hawaii etc…) and some QS events as well. One more thing should also be pointed out – Kelly won his first world title in 1992, then enjoyed five consecutive wins from 1994 to 1998 and then RETIRED from competitive surfing. He came back from retirement in 2002 to claim the 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011 world crowns.

Kelly-Slater-at-Pipe-Masters_in_Hawaii_with_JohnJohnFlorence
Kelly Slater on his way to win No. 54 at Pipeline Masters 2013 in Hawaii. He beat John John Florence in the final. Photo: ASP

2016
• Billabong Pro Tahiti (Teahupoo, Tahiti)

2013
• Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia)
• Volcom Fiji Pro (Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji)
• Billabong Pipe Masters (North Shore, Hawaii)

2012
• Volcom Fiji Pro(Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji)
• Hurley Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California)
• Quicksilver Pro France (South West Coast, France)
2011
• Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia)
• Nike US Open (Huntington Beach, CA)
• Billabong Pro Teahupoo (Teahupoo, Tahiti)
• Hurley Pro Trestles (California, USA)
2010
• Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
• Hurley Pro (Lower Trestles, California, USA)
• Rip Curl Pro (Peniche, Portugal)
• Rip Curl Search (Middles, Isabela, Puerto Rico)
2009
• Hang Loose Pro (Santa Catarina, Brasil)
2008
• Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia)
• Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
• Glove Pro Fiji (Cloudbreak, Restaurants – Tavarua, Fiji)
• Billabong Pro J-Bay (Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa)
• Boost Mobile Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California)
• Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, North Shore Oahu, Hawaii)
2007
• Boost Mobile Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California)
2006
• Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia)
• Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
2005
• Billabong Pro (Teahupoo, Tahiti)
• The Globe WCT (Fiji)
• Billabong Pro (South Africa)
• Boost Mobile Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California)
2004
• Snickers Australian Open (QS)
• Energy Australia Open (QS)
2003
• Billabong Pro (Teahupoo, Tahiti)
• Billabong Pro (South Africa)
• Billabong Pro (Mundaka, Spain)
• Nova Schin Festival (Brazil)
2002
• The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau (Specialty-Hawaii)
2000
• Gotcha Tahiti Pro presented by Globe (Tahiti)
1999
• Mountain Dew Pipe Masters (Hawaii)
1997
• Coke Surf Classic (Australia)
• Billabong Pro (Australia)
• Tokushima Pro (Japan)
• Marui Pro (Japan)
• Kaiser Summer Surf WCT (Brazil)
• Grand Slam (Specialty-Australia)
• Typhoon Lagoon Surf Challenge (Specialty-USA)
1996
• Coke Surf Classic (Australia)
• Rip Curl Pro Saint Leu (Reunion Island)
• CSI pres. Billabong Pro (South Africa)
• U.S. Open (California)
• Rip Curl Pro Hossegor (France)
• Quiksilver Surfmasters (France)
• Chiemsee Pipe Masters (Hawaii)
• Sud Ouest Trophee (Specialty-France)
• Da Hui Backdoor Shootout (Specialty-Hawaii)
1995
• Quiksilver Pro (Indonesia)
• Chiemsee Pipe Masters (Hawaii)
• Triple Crown of Surfing (Specialty-Hawaii)
1994
• Rip Curl Pro (Australia)
• Gotcha Lacanau Pro (France)
• Chiemsee Pipe Masters (Hawaii)
• The Bud Surf Tour (WQS-USA)
• The Bud Surf Tour (WQS-USA)
• Sud Ouest Trophee (Specialty-France)
1993
• Marui Pro (Japan)
1992
• Rip Curl Pro Landes (France)
• Marui Pipe Masters (Hawaii)
1990
• Body Glove Surfbout Trestles (California)

 

Kelly Slater Movie

This is one of the coolest movies about Kelly.

 

Music

The Surfers

As many surfers do in their spare time, Kelly Slater picks up his guitar and plays some music. During the 90’s he formed a band called The Surfers which released an album of surf music called Songs From the Pipe. You can get the album here. Songs from the Pipe are mellow, kind of Beach Boys influenced songs. The title plays with the name of the most famous surfing spot – Pipeline on the island of Oahu, Hawaii which is also called simply Pipe. Songs actually recorded by guys who hang ten for a living are light, airy, and ultimately uplifting.

The Surfers – Songs from the Pipe – List of songs

australia
never
if
cause it’s me
Going
not your slave
spill
alone by a tree
hawaii
anything from you
two gether

Here is a video of The Surfers talking about their band and music

 

Slater’s Music Friends

Kelly is also a close friend with some of the worlds top musicians. He performed a song with musician friend Ben Harper during Harper’s concert in Santa Barbara, California on August 15, 2006. He also performed “Rockin’ in The free World” with grunge band Pearl Jam on the July 7, 2006 in San Diego. But probably, Kelly is most known for his friendship with Jack Johnson.

Two Biography Books

Kelly Slater: For the Love

Kelly Slater's second biography book.
Kelly Slater’s second biography book.

This is the second book about Kellys life, published in 2008 when Kelly was a nine time world surfing champion. It is again written from Kelly’s point of view by surfing veteran Phil Jarratt. It follows Slater life filled with big wins, big money and big loves. The book consists of interviews with friends and fellow surfers, amazing anecdotes and lots of never before published photographs.

This beautifully produced book marks the first time Slater’s story has been told in full color and reflects the latest twists and turns in an incredible and unconventional life. You can buy it here.

Pipe Dreams – A Surfers Journey

Pipe Dreams is Slater's first biography.
Pipe Dreams is Slater’s first biography.

Pipe Dreams – A Surfers Journey is Kelly Slaters first biography book published in 2003. The book takes you to the not so public side of Kelly Slater. It begins in the Cocoa Beach where Kelly survived his childhood, his life with his brother and his grommet surfing years. With Kelly’s success came travel and facing the international surfing circuit. And with his world championship titles came the media spotlight. It all piled up until Kelly realised surfing isn’t everything. Kelly Slater retired from the world cup tour only to come back later and win again.

Caption from the Pipe Dreams – A Surfers Journey: “I didn’t start surfing because I expected to be my career. It was something I just had a good time doing. But once I started, I couldn’t stop. Nothing compared to the thrill of riding waves, having the friendship and the lifestyle. I couldn’t have imagined that the magazines I studied from cover to cover would become a scrapbook for my friends and me or that heroes I never thought I’d meet, let alone surf against, would eventually become my good friends. And I couldn’t fathom that I would learn to thrive on the waves that scared me senseless.” by Kelly Slater

Movie Career

Kelly Slater is no stranger to the media. Newspapers, magazines, TV Shows and movies are a part of his celebrity life. The show that he is most known for is also the one that he would probably most like to forget. Yeah, it’s Baywatch and that Jimmy Slade character.

Baywatch – Kelly Slater played a cool surfer named Jimmy Slade in 4 episodes of Baywatch between 1992 and 1993.

H3O(1995) – Kelly Salter was the host of this TV Series.

One Night at McCool’s(2001) – Kelly Salter played a side role of a Jeep owner.

The September Sessions Kelly Slater was also the producer of Jack Johnsons surf movie called The September Sessions in 2003.

In God’s Hands – for another surf movie called In God’s Hands(1998) Kelly contributed a song for the soundtrack. The name of the song was Never.

Surf’s Up – he was also a voice of a surfing penguin in the animated film “Surf’s Up”.

Besides that Kelly Salter appeared in a wide range of surf movies where he showed his surfing talent.

Kelly Slater surf movies

“Surfers – The Movie” (1990)
“Kelly Slater in Black and White” (1991)
“Endless Summer II” (1994)
“Kelly Slater In Kolor” (1997)
“Thicker than Water” (2000)
“One Night at McCool’s” (2001)
“September Sessions” (2002)
“Step into Liquid” (2003)
“Riding Giants” (2004)
“Doped Youth” ‘Groovy Avalon’ (2004)
“Young Guns 1, 2 & 3” (2004–2008)
“Campaign 2” (2005)
“Letting Go” (2006)
“Surf’s Up” (2007)
“Down the Barrel” (2007)
“Bra Boys” (2007)
“Bustin Down the Door” (2008)
“One Track Mind” (2008)
“Kelly Slater Letting Go” (2008)
“Waveriders” (2008)
“The Ocean” (2008)
“A Fly in the Champagne” (2009) (featuring Kelly Slater and Andy Irons)
“Cloud 9” (2009)
“Ultimate Wave Tahiti” (2010)
“Fighting Fear” (2011)
“Wave Warriors 3”

A part from the A Fly in the Champagne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6cxWa4TcV0

 

Environmental And Charity Projects

Kelly Slater likes to give back to the people and to the nature that allowed him to be what he is. He is/was active with different environmental and social projects:

Reef Check

Reef Check Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation of two ecosystems: tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. Coral reefs are the place where Kelly Slater and other surfers often find quality waves. But they are much more than that. They are complex ecosystems that are very sensible to any environmental change and to pollution. They are the litmus paper of what is going on in the worlds oceans. Even though these reefs seem remote, they are highly influenced by the pollution. As a part of this program Kelly Slater was often found on the ship called Indies Trader which traveled the worlds seas in search of waves and monitoring the conditions of the coral reefs.

The Borgen Project

The goal of the Borgen Project is to put pressure on the United States Congress and the White House to do right by the world’s poor. This is how much it would cost to solve some of the bigger problems humanity has:
$19 billion: Eliminates starvation and malnutrition globally.
$12 billion: Provides education for every kid on earth.
$15 billion: Provides access to water and sanitation.
$23 billion: Reverses the spread of AIDS and Malaria.
For instance $664 billion was the size of the U.S. Military budget in 2011.

Kelly Slater Foundation

The Kelly Slater Foundation is a not-for-profit organization located in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2007 by Nine Time World Surfing Champion Kelly Slater, the foundation’s mission is to raise awareness and financial support for existing social and environmentally conscious charities.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Sea Shephers are one of the more known ocean conservation organizations. Kelly Slater is a member of the Board of Advisors (the Ocean Advocacy Advisory Board). One other famous surfer that is know also for his actions on behalf of the Sea Shepherds is Dave Rastovich.

Kelly Slater is also involved in other humanitarian and charity activities and has donated his money and time to charities like the Florida School For Children of Downs Syndrome and the Life Rolls On Foundation.

Trivia

Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition models had a hard job of choosing the worlds best looking athlete. Brooklyn Decker, Marisa Miller, Anne V, Fernanda Motta, and Daniella Sarahyba ranked the best-looking athletes in all of sports. After cutting our initial list of nominees to 100 for each group the girls got the photographs of the athletes. Here are their top five together with their score that went from 1 to 10:

Kelly Slater (9.7)
David Beckham (9.1)
Fredrik Ljungberg (8.4)
Zinedine Zidane (8.4)
Tom Brady (8.2)

What did the girls say about Kelly?
Marisa Miller:”Can I give him an 11? Where do I begin? Number one, he surfs which is hot – and he’s extremely good-looking. He has these piercing blue eyes and an amazing body. He’s my No. 1 out of everyone –I’ll tell you that right now.”
Brooklyn Decker:”He’s just dreamy. Eyes, mouth, the body structure. A dreamy guy.”

Kelly Slater Pro Surfer – Surfing Video Game

Pro Surfer Video Game
Pro Surfer Video Game

This is the first video game that realistically captured the sport of surfing. The game concept is similar to games like Tony Hawk Pro Skater in which Kelly also appeared. In Kelly Slater Pro Surfer you travel the world and surf the worlds best breaks from shoulder high beach breaks to giant big wave surfing on Mavericks. You can play the game as Kelly Slater or one of eight other surfers. You can visit (unlock) many exotic, real- world location with more than 30 challenging levels to explore. You can surf spots like Teahupoo in Tahiti, Bells Beach in Australia, Hawaii, Antarctica, Kelly Slater’s home break – Sebastian Inlet or cold big wave monster in northern California Mavericks, legendary Mundaka, Japan and others. Each wave is modeled by the real one. If that is not enough, you also have a wave pool, where you can practice and try out new tricks.

If you are a surfer or if you want to get a glimpse into the feeling of surfing – Kelly Slater Pro Surfer really stand out from the other surfing games. You can Buy the game here !

Personal Life

With the rise in the popularity of surfing and the image and position that Kelly Slater has in the surfing world, he has became a celebrity in this world. Media follows him and try to dig up something on his private life. Kelly still tries and manages to keep his life hidden from the public and doesn’t like to expose himself too much to the media. Here are some details from Slater’s personal life:

Baywatch

In the 1992-3 season of Baywatch Kelly Slater acted in four episodes as a local aspiring surfer named Jimmy Slade. What might seem at first as a good idea to cash in his new found glory later became a stone around Kelly’s neck. Ridiculous plots, like fighting giant octopus got all the other surfers on the world tour chuckling and Kelly could not wait to get released from the contract with Baywatch. Even long afterwards, especially the Australian surfers on the world tour liked to refer to Kelly Slater as Jimmy to piss him off. It was on Baywatch where Kelly met Pamela Anderson.

Daughter Taylor

In 1995 Kelly Slater got the news from his ex- girlfriend Tamara that she was pregnant. Kelly now has a old daughter named Taylor who lives in Cocoa Beach with her mother. Kelly visits her as much as he can.

Pamela Anderson

With Pamela Anderson
With Pamela Anderson

Kelly Slater met Pamela Anderson on the set of Beywatch, but it was only later that they started dating.

Kelly and Garbage

In 1999 Kelly Slater appeared alongside Garbage singer Shirley Manson in the promotional video for the Garbage single “You Look So Fine”. Kelly played a man washed up on a sea shore, rescued by siren Manson.

50 Most Beautiful People in the World

In 2004 Kelly Slater was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.

L’Oreal

In 2006, Kelly Slater became a brand spokesperson for the L’Oreal.

Relationships

Kelly Slater has dated his share of beautiful women. Besides being romantically linked to Pamela Anderson, Kelly was also dated Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, Cameron Diaz, Bar Rafaeli and others.

More on Kelly

Kelly Slater has his own official website – check it out
Then there is his Facebook page
And his Twitter account
And of course Instagram profile
People stories – stories from people that met Kelly
Career Galley on Surfsalad.com
Slater profile and stats on ASP website
On Surfline

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