American legend Kelly Slater, recently eliminated from the elite surfing circuit after poor results, will participate at the end of May in the Tahitian stage of the championship on the Olympic wave of Teahupo’o, thanks to an invitation granted by the organizers, they said. announced Wednesday. “The most successful surfer of all time will look to further improve his legendary stats at the spot”wrote the World Surf League (WSL), responsible for organizing the Championship Tour (CT), the elite circuit.
Eleven times world champion, holder of 56 victories on the CT including 5 at Teahupo’o, Slater, 52, spoke of his imminent retirement in mid-April after his defeat in the first round of the Margaret River Pro in Australia, leading to his elimination of the circuit. “It looks like the end (…). If you don’t adapt, you can’t survive. I wasn’t totally motivated to be 100% like everyone is doing now.”he said, without explicitly bowing out.
Soon to be a father for the second time, «King» Kelly also received an invitation for the stage organized in Fiji from August 20 to 29, one month after the Olympics which he will miss for the second time. The Frenchwoman Vahiné Fierro, qualified for the Olympics and specialist in the committed Teahupo’o spot, also benefited from an invitation from the WSL for the pro circuit stage, but not the other French hope with a view to Paris-2024 Kauli Vaast. The Tahiti Pro will take place on the Olympic wave of Teahupo’o from May 22 to 31.
