In the last few years, pro surfing has lost a whole lot of talent to some form of retirement. And at the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro, five icons took to the Snapper Rocks lineup to battle it out in some friendly competition.
“Icons of surfing take the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro by storm, celebrating Kelly Slater in a world champ’s Super Heat,” the World Surf League wrote. “A lineup that compiled 136 CT wins total amongst five of the greatest surfers of all time, watch Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, and Stephanie Gilmore in an insanely entertaining heat – celebrating the best of competitive surfing.”
Occy called it quits in 2005, of course, but Joel Parkinson took his leave back in 2018, as did Mick Fanning. Stephanie Gilmore is taking some time off to take a breather from contest surfing. Kelly Slater, a man who has retired or hinted at retirement too many times to count, sort of retired recently, although soon after he accepted wildcards into upcoming events.
One doesn’t really “retire” from surfing, for the most part. The majority of surfers who decide to leave the tour don’t stop surfing. They just stop surfing for trophies. But every now and then, they like to re-stoke that competitive fire and pull the jersey back on. When the lineup includes the people who were in the world champs heat… well, it’s worth a look.
