Slater's board in action. Photo: ASP/Robertson
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History announced last week that it has acquired the board Kelly Slater rode to victory at the 2010 Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. The board is presently displayed on the first floor Artifact Walls. Slater beat Mick Fanning in the final of the Bells event, before going on to win his 10th World Title at yet another Rip Curl event, the Search contest in Puerto Rico. The Channel Islands roundpin is still waxed, has the fins screwed in, and looks plenty ridable from the press release photos.
This is the second time this year that the Smithsonian has taken an interest in the professional surfing world. In February, the Smithsonian hosted Shaun Tomson for a reading of his new ebook for children, Surf Creatures. Really.
Check out the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian for more details, and the briefest Slater bio in existence: http://americanhistory.si.edu/news/pressrelease.cfm?key=29&newskey=1416
