Speculation is mounting that eight-time World Champion Kelly Slater may have surfed his last professional contest after his exit to Dean Morrison at the Rip Curl Pro Search Chile in Arica. No one seems to know the lowdown for sure, but Cassandra Murnieks has been on the case. As she writes:
“At this point it is pure speculation," says ASP president Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew. "Kelly has made no notification to ASP regarding retirement. He is still a confirmed starter at J-Bay. I think that a lot can be read into his disappointment. He is still surfing great, but the reality is that the World Title is getting away from him this year and that is probably all he is interested in.” Meanwhile Rip Curl, the hosts of the Chile event, are also not aware of Slater calling it quits yet. “It’s just speculation at the moment. Neither Quiksilver nor Kelly - nor the ASP - have made any announcements,” Dane Sharp, Media Manager of Rip Curl, said. "Kelly said that he was doubtful of coming to Chile, right up until two days before the event. But once he arrived he said he was keen to surf J-Bay next month. After his loss today, one of the team managers said the loss here could mean no J-Bay, but nothing else has been announced.”
Quiksilver, Slater’s major sponsor, declined to comment. The Floridian is currently sitting in sixth position and it is becoming increasingly unlikely that he will be in contention for a ninth world title.
Slater fell victim to Coolangatta’s Dean Morrison in a much anticipated Round 4 match-up of the Rip Curl Search Pro Chile. Needing a wave-score of 9.37 to progress through to the Quarter-finals, time got away from him, which gave Morrison a much-needed victory.
“I’ve surfed in two heats that they claim have been the heat of the year, so it’s starting to frustrate me,” Slater said after his defeat to Morrison, whom he described as a "wave magnet. You’re usually behind the eight ball with him. You have to really out-surf him, but in waves like this, it’s just who gets that deep barrel and he got the best wave in that heat.”
The record-setting superstar admitted that a ninth title might be slipping away. “I think at this point, it’s not feeling like a World Title year for me so far." He added, though, that "Even though I lost to Dean, I feel like I put on a good performance. That’s what we get paid for. That’s why we do this.”
The mystery deepens...