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Following Kelly’s elimination from Margaret’s and subsequent cut from the Championship Tour (CT) on Saturday, there was a possibility it may have been the end of Slater’s run as a full-time CT competitor. That speculation ended this morning with the WSL announcing the wildcards for the back half of 2023 and first half of the 2024 season. Kelly has been awarded wildcards for both the remainder of the CT events in 2023 and the start of 2024. No need to worry surf fans; Slater is not going anywhere in the near future.
A new rule was passed this year that allows former world champs and previous Final 5 competitors to be eligible for points after the MYC if they receive wildcards – We assume the legislative change was made specifically for Slater.
Kelly’s wildcard lifeline brings to mind Jordan Belfort’s (The Wolf of Wall Street) iconic words, “I ain’t fucking leaving”. Retirement is obviously not a word in Kelly’s vocabulary.
Here’s what the WSL said about the Wildcard debate today.
“The WSL Rule Book allows for only former World Champions and previous WSL Final 5 competitors to be eligible to earn points in the second half of the season as the Season Wildcards. Kelly and Johanne meet those criteria, so we look forward to seeing them complete the CT season.”
The 2023 wildcard keeps Slater’s dream alive to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris next year. This is not an easy lay-up thrown by the WSL as picking up one of the two available spots will be a tough task for the 51-year-old to achieve. Slater’s behind the rankings of his fellow countrymen Griffin Colapinto, John John Florence, Seth Moniz and Ian Gentil. Don’t count the GOAT out just yet. Kelly has a home-field advantage in the next event at his wave pool and has a solid chance of nabbing a win at Teahupo’o. Kelly last won in Tahiti back in 2016 and it will be interesting to see if he can pull it off and make history once again.
Nevertheless, 2023 will probably not be Slater’s last dance on the CT. Knowing Kelly, there’s no way he’ll miss competing at Pipeline with a wildcard for the 2024 season already in his back pocket.
Johanne Defay, who just recovered from an ankle injury, will also receive the back half of the 2023 and 2024 season wildcards. Meanwhile, Miguel Pupo and Brisa Hennessy picked up the wildcards for the start of the 2024 season. Miguel has been out of competition with injury since the Portugal Pro. However, it would be a tough pill to swallow for Isabella Nichols and Macy Callaghan, who were both ranked higher than Brisa this season after the MYC. The same can be argued for Sophie McCulloch, who, despite being ranked lower than Brisa, missed the first two events due to injury. Hennessy’s previous results on tour, including a top five finish last year, must have factored heavily in a decision which sees her back on the CT for 2024 and avoiding the Challenger Series.
It’s also brutal news for Ramzi Boukhaim who hasn’t been able to compete due to an injury he suffered warming up for the Pipe comp. Ramzi has spent years chasing a CT slot, only to see his chance ripped away by the hands of misfortune. Similar to Liam O’Brien’s circumstances last season, Ramzi was not awarded a wildcard for 2023 or 2024 and will be forced to once again re-qualify via the Challenger Series. An injured Jadson Andre had also been lobbying hard for the wildcard slot.
The next CT event at the Surf Ranch Pro kicks off in a month (May 27-28). While the victims of the MYC will compete against a hungry pack of qualifiers in the first Challenger Series event at Snapper from May 6-13.
Who made the cut ?
Women
Tyler Wright (AUS)
Molly Picklum (AUS)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Caroline Marks (USA)
Caitlin Simmers (USA)
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Tatiana Weston Webb (BRA)
Lakey Peterson (USA)
Gabriela Bryan (HAW)
Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW)
Wildcard: Johanne Defay (FRA)
Men
Joao Chianca (AUS)
Jack Robinson (AUS)
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Ethan Ewing (AUS)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Ryan Callinan (AUS)
John John Florence (HAW)
Yago Dora (BRA)
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Connor O’Leary (AUS)
Callum Robson (AUS)
Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Jordy Smith (RSA)
Matthew McGillivray (RSA)
Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Liam O’Brien (AUS)
Rio Waida (INA)
Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
Barron Mamiya (HAW)
Seth Moniz (HAW)
Ian Gentil (HAW)
Wildcard: Kelly Slater (USA)
