Kelly Slater and the family that operates the Wailua Bakery. Photo: Wailua Bakery/Leroy
I’m sitting at Waialua bakery, no more than a mile from Hale’iwa Beach Park, where the finals of the Reef Hawaiian Pro are streaming on the TV. In front of me is a picture of a young, fully-haired Kelly Slater dated December 29, 1999. He’s sporting a Gorbachev t-shirt and has his arms around the family that owns Waialua Bakery. Adjacent to Kelly’s picture is a black and white photograph of Andy Irons, glassed on the belly of a blue single fin, hanging on the wall in commemoration.
I look up at the screen to see John John power hacking down the line and throwing a front-side air. He isn’t going to let Sebastian Zietz win without a fight. I can’t help but think about Kelly and Andy’s rivalry. Sure, Kelly has been challenged throughout his long, seemingly endless and illustrious career, but he hasn’t failed as consistently against any one surfer as he did with Andy Irons. When he died, for a long time so did a part of the unabashed competitiveness in the ASP that many surfers were apparently afraid to show.
On the screen Sebastian jabs back at John with two big carves and a fin waft with under five minutes to go; it’s a dog fight. Youth versus youth.
I glance back at the picture of Kelly Slater. I’m confused at why he is wearing a t-shirt with the Russian politician’s portrait square in the middle. Kelly Slater is not a Communist. At least I don’t think he is. Or else he would distribute his World Titles among the field, right?
December 29, 1999. At this point in time Kelly had won five world titles in a row, totaling six (both records at that time), and he was on top of the world. Then roughly three weeks after this particular picture was taken in that small, organic and delicious bakery wedged off a side street on the North Shore, Kelly Slater, aged 26 with nothing left to prove, retired. Sort of.
In the meantime there was a changing of the guard. The Momentum Era’s flame was burning out and Andy Irons was there stoking a new fire. Irons won three straight titles from 2002 to 2004, taking down Slater time and again. It’s that same kind of competitive flare the ASP needs today, and I think this year has shown promise. Even Dane Reynolds, ambassador of anti-competition, admitted he’s in it to win it after his insane layback snap on day 2. “…I’m in it to try to win, I guess,” Dane said. It’s a good start. “I’m definitely not too lackadaisical. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here, you know? I’m into it,” he reaffirmed.
It’s Florence, Andino, Medina, Wilson, (insert young progressive surfers name here), that will determine the future. And the future looks bright. With fewer than three minutes to go, Sebastian’s red jersey catches my eye as he shreds his way to a 9.34 and the lead. John John is paddling around in frustration, searching for redemption.
This looks promising.
