When Kelly Slater enters the water, there is no wave or age to stop him. About to turn 50, on February 11, it was the surfer who presented the fans, by winning, this Saturday, the first stage of the 2022 World Surf League, in Oahu, Hawaii.
The dominance of the famous Banzai Pipeine gave the American athlete a historic victory with a total of 18.77 points, out of 20.
The veteran, who won the race for the first time in 1992, admits that Pipeline is his favorite stage of the circuit.
The technique was evident in the eyes of all, but the champion revealed that to win the competition again, he relived, in the water, all his experience.
“I was in the water, trying to cheer myself up and saying ‘trust you, breathe, absorb all this and live in the moment’. And I think that’s the simplest and best guideline for my life and for anyone. Many amazing people in this world have helped me along my way. I learned about life and myself and it feels like it all came together today and it felt like it was meant to happen.”
Slater, now a winner of eight Pipelines and with 11 world titles under his belt, left 24-year-old Hawaiian Seth Moniz behind.
Adept at faking retirement, he is now the oldest athlete to win this stage of the world surfing circuit.
