Kelly Slater is unquestionably the most decorated and talented surfer we have ever witnessed. But after 20 years of dominance, Slater’s ability to claim more mantles in recent times, has proved no easy feat. Battling waves of doubt, injury, and a lack of competitive drive, many thought the best was well and truly behind him. Undeterred, the sport’s most famous icon has been forced to look within and explore all avenues to get the most out of himself. From dabbling in “energy” healing, seeking solace in meditation, to mixing with the world’s best athletes, Slater’s quest to reach the peaks of excellence has been relentless. With an impressive win at the Billabong Pro Pipeline to kickstart 2022, the Floridian defied age, nerves and uncertainty to clinch his 56th Championship Tour event and looks to have formulated a potent recipe for sparring convincingly against the world’s best. To add to his legacy, the 11x World Champion has paved the way for us mortals to believe it is never too late to pursue dreams, and crystallize new mindsets, passions, and flow.
In an exclusive with Tracks on the Gold Coast (Australia), Slater reveals more about his epic victory at Pipe, his challenges in the competitive jersey at 50 years old, his experience at the 94th Academy Awards, and his transformation over the years from youth to legend where fun, fulfilment and inspiring the world can trump winning, fame, and glory.
Tracks: This year started amazing for you with the big win at the Billabong Pro Pipeline in Hawaii. Tell us what is motivating you to keep going as a competitor after such a big high?
Well, it is a little bit hard to get super motivated. I entered this [Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro Challenger Series] because I was going to be here anyway, at my place. It’s really nice to surf Snapper and have some space, but it’s a funny one because I’m surfing against my friends like Leonardo [Fioravanti], Cam Richards and Alejo Muniz. I’m in a heat with 3 friends of mine and it matters to them and not to me. So, I don’t really get into the battle you know. I let them take position on me and I’ll just get a small one and see. I don’t take control of the heat. So, in terms of that, I’m not motivated to try and really win. I just want to catch some fun waves and surf.
But other contests, I’ve struggled since Pipe. I haven’t had good results, and my equipment hasn’t really been up to scratch. Mentally it’s been hard to reset after Pipeline. You know when you reach the summit of Everest, it’s hard to want to climb a hill. Other events seem like a little bit of a hill compared. And that’s not to say I haven’t gotten out-surfed or didn’t perform great or whatever, it’s just that it [Pipeline] was such a high. Like I’m pretty content with that and I made the cut and now I’m excited for G-Land. Good waves get me excited. Shitty Bells, Messy Margaret’s and Sunset on its best day doesn’t really do it for me (laughs). So, I’ve struggled these last few events and probably needs an attitude shift to keep going. But when the waves are good, and that challenge is there, it’s not hard to get excited for it!
Tracks: You’ve had extensive work done on your body. Tell us how your body is holding up? Especially after you recently recovered from Covid.
Yeah, I’ve been really in a lot of pain – actually the last couple of months. Like I have a left hip, my right knee, my foot injury, my back is pretty bad – I have scoliosis. I feel like with the shortened year, I was saying that this was going to be my last year but there is no way I’m not going to surf Pipeline next year and [then] kind of play it by year. If I have the opportunity and its fun for me, I’ll do events. But with the shortened year and having the cut already, already making it for next year – I can actually really focus on getting my body kind of back together.
Tracks: How hard is it to be in pain so often? How do you deal with it?
A lot of people around the world suffer from chronic pain (myself included). What do you tell yourself in those tough moments?
Well, I don’t feel desperate because I feel like I can reverse it all. If I apply myself and I do the work, I feel like I can get rid of the pain and fix the body. But when the adrenalin kicks in, I don’t feel it so much! (laughs)
Tracks: Are you still practicing meditation and interested in the whole spiritual realm? How does this help you to feel energized and inspired?
Yeah, I just think that is just part of life. Just work it into your life you know. I have some more formal sort of therapy and stuff that I do that helps me – I guess some people that I work with that help me get through my own stuff.
Tracks: How much are you able to draw on your previous success – your 11 world titles, your big wins and the “summit of Everest” (Pipe) – to propel your confidence and self-belief in competitions and in everyday life?
At times yeah, for sure. Whether I’m in the lead and I need to control that and hold it, or I’m trailing and need to catch up, I always feel that I can draw on my experience and confidence to figure out how to make that work. Some of it, you don’t even have to think, you just know what to do in those situations. But there is a lot of different ways to go about it. Sometimes you need to be on the best wave, and sometimes you just need to out-surf someone else because there might be equal opportunity for everybody. So, there is a few different ways to go about it.
My life’s different now at this age, at this period of my career. I don’t derive my fulfilment and happiness by contests like I feel like I really did for a long time. I still enjoy winning a challenging heat, in good waves, battling the best guys. When I was 20 and I went on my big roll in the 90s and stuff, I didn’t have money and I was trying to build a career. I had a lot of reasons to win, and now, its become a little bit more of a lifestyle.
Tracks: So, what do you feel that you are chasing now? Fulfilment and happiness?
Just fun: just enjoying it, being able to enjoy it and relax. I think the spiritual challenge is to be able to be competitive but in a place that is enjoyable and fun – not like needy or ego-driven. I think it’s hard to separate that in professional sports. There is always a bit of that, but yeah the idea is to try to win because of just the enjoyment you have with it.
Tracks: You were at this year’s Oscars. Tell us what that whole experience was like? Mixing with big names and the likes of Serena and Venus Williams.
It was actually cool. I spent a good amount of time with Serena and Venus [Williams] amongst many other people. Myself, Tony Hawk and Shaun White – I spent a bunch of time with them backstage just talking. It was a big night for them. So, I was just congratulating them, and it was really cool because they were like really open and interested in talking to me [and saying] “you’ve been doing so good”. I kind of get surprised when we are in such different worlds, and the sport that I’m in is not so mainstream, and they [world-renowned celebrities] kind of have an idea what is happening with me. It’s pretty cool!
I got to spend quite a bit of time with Bill Murray too, who I love, I’ve known him a long time. But he’s just so fun to be around and talk to.
Tracks: How much does that inspire you to be around other superstars and sporting sensations, especially those that have had such longevity and success? Maybe inspire you to prove everyone wrong that you can win another title?
(Laughs) It’s not so much being around them. It’s more like witnessing what they’re doing from a far. I get more inspiration from that, than like being around them. Cause I think when you see something from a far, it is a little mysterious. It sort of plant’s seeds for you and gives you ideas about how to do it [successfully]. And if you don’t know, if you’re kind of wondering about things, it’s kind of good sometimes because you imagine the headspace and what it takes to do something and you come up with your own way of doing it instead of going to someone to have to lay it out for you and needing to know something intimately. But like I drew a lot of inspiration from Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods before I ever met those guys. You know, probably more so, before I ever met then.
Tracks: You’ve spent time with a lot of big names golfers, the Ryder Cup team. How much positivity and inspiration does the golfing world bring into your life?
I know a lot of those guys. I get to golf with them a little bit, but then I get to watch them most of the year and see what they are doing. I’m not around them very much to talk. If one of the guys, who’s a buddy of mine is doing well, I’ll send them a message and say “congratulations” or like “todays your day” or whatever. It is fun to be around people that are at the top of worlds that you love, activities you like. Like Jiujitsu, MMA. That one inspires me a lot. I just love the battle between two people and I’m friends with a lot of guys in the Jiujitsu and MMA world. I love that a lot, it’s really fun!
The GOAT will chase his next Supreme Victory at Stop 6 of the WSL Championship Tour in G-Land Indonesia, which will kick off 28 May 2022. Tracks is grateful to Kelly for his time, insights, and inspiration. We wish him all the best in 2022.
