This man deserves more recognition. Photo: Matt Dunbar
Kelly Slater. The man, quite easily, claims the title of not only a World Champion, but every Floridian’s, every East Coaster’s, and every surfer’s idol in the competitive realm. Waves in all sorts of conditions have seemingly always come effortlessly to Slater, conquering everything from 2-foot gutless beach breaks to 40-foot Waimea. He has the killer instinct, the sixth sense, and the superhuman ability to know what his opponent’s thoughts and to be three steps ahead of the game. The presence of mind to rack up two quick scores in a heat, knowing that a less experienced Medina isn’t aware of how much the impending high tide will affect the final tally of the Volcom Pro Fiji.
If Kelly Slater’s competitive advantage at age 40 doesn’t impress you, then knowing he’s had the very same ability for the past 20 years probably will. But where does this all stack up in the grand scheme of competitive sports and the greatest athletes of all time? It stands at the very top, by a large margin. Why this man isn’t even mentioned by sports outlets worldwide, nevertheless featured, baffles me. I’ve broken this down to the point where I think it’s irrefutable to even the snobbiest of analysts and jocks.
I’ll start with the most undeniable pieces of evidence, the numbers behind the talent. Eleven world titles, setting both records for youngest (19) and oldest (39) to win a championship. Five of these world titles were in consecutive years from 1994-1998. Those numbers alone distinguish him from any other athlete in both individual and team sports. To be fair, lets see how Kelly’s opponents match up.
Kelly Slater: 11 World Titles – 5 consecutive – 56 career victories (50 WCT)
Michael Jordan: 6 NBA Championships – 3 consecutive – Arguably the best offensive and defensive (behind Bill Russell) player to play in the NBA
Muhammed Ali: 3 Time Heavyweight Champion – 56 victories
Michael Phelps: 13 Gold Medals – 26 World Championship Gold Medals
Babe Ruth: 7 Time World Series Champion, 2 Time All-Star
Wayne Gretzky: 4 Stanley Cups, Leading Scorer in NHL History
Jim Thorpe: 2 Olympic Gold Medals Pentathalon/Decathalon, College + NFL Hall of Famer
You can toss Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong into that conversation if you’d like, but the athletic merit of golf isn’t exactly prestigious and Lance was a 7-time world champion who doped. Athletic ability is, of course, a subjective term. Some people claim the best athlete is the best all-around, the one with the most individual accomplishments, or the most career victories. My argument is irrefutable due to the fact that Slater is number one in all the aforementioned regards. He has the most World Titles in his sport, six more than his second place competitor Mark Richards. Kelly has proven his all-around talent by dominating small waves yet also winning the Eddie on 40-foot faces in 2002. Finally, he has 56 career victories, enough to almost match Ali (who has fewer world titles), and overtakes Michael Phelps who has 26, so far.
To make a comparison, imagine Ali fighting in three different weight classes. Phelps swims medley, relay, and freestyle, and is clearly well rounded within swimming, but still only has half the career victories that Slater does. To play devil’s advocate, one could make the argument that surfing simply has a smaller talent pool, and thus, Slater’s competition is on a much smaller scale. I don’t think so. If you look at who he’s beaten from start to finish, he has faced the likes of Andy Irons in his prime, Tom Curren, Marc Occhilupo and, most recently, Mick Fanning.
The dominance, calculated strategy, and presence of mind the man has are simply off the charts. I’ll end my case for Kelly by stating that not once has he ever been accused of foul play, doping, or cheating in any form. The same thing can’t be said for athletes some consider to be the best. On top of this athleticism, he is unquestionably a true ambassador of the sport. The only thing Kelly is guilty of is pure, relentless, and truly legendary ability to win.
