The world was expecting an epic heat when 38-year Kelly Slater faced Brazilian Adriano DeSouza in the Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico quarterfinals with a 10th ASP World Title on the line. But nothing will ever compare to the explosive reality Kelly Slater delivered. It was almost as if God realized the world needed a boost after what we’d all been through this week.
Kelly was visibly nervous as he paced the competitors’ area before the heat. He surveyed the ocean, spoke with Quik team manager Stephen “Belly” Bell for a moment, then put his jersey on and waded out through the ecstatic Puerto Rican crowd to the water. Once his feet hit the warm water, however, it was full guns blazing.
On the first wave de Souza took a look but didn’t paddle and mistakenly let Slater take it. Kelly dropped in a little behind the peak, pulled in under the lip and got barreled for days scoring a 9.0. While the crowd was still reeling from that wave Kelly paddle back out and into another even longer barrel for a 9.87. And all this happened in the first five minutes of the heat. The whole time de Souza was out the back wondering what happened.
On Kelly’s sixth wave he surfed near world number two Jordy Smith, and Smith was able to give Kelly a high five congratulating the new ASP World Champion as he slipped by. It was a perfect moment, in a nearly perfect heat. And will likely go down as one of the most historic heats in ASP History.
On the podium an emotional Kelly Slater was uncharacteristically tongue tied as he tried to come to terms with his week and his 10th World Title. With tears still rolling down his cheeks he dedicated his win to Andy Irons.
“I just want to send my condolences to Andy’s family,” he said. If it wasn’t for Andy I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. So I really don’t know what to say. I’m a little overwhelmed right now. . . . I want to dedicate this to Andy and to my family.”
It will likely take time for Kelly (and the rest of us) to sort out all the events of this week, but there is one thing: So Kelly, what about that number 11?
[Editors’ Note: This story has been updated with all today’s action]
What should have been the most joyous week in professional surfing history, turned to the opposite with news of the tragic death of Andy Irons. While the weight of that loss is hanging heavy on everyone in the surf world it hasn’t stopped the ASP’s top 24 from soldiering on in the Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico.
Taj Burrow (pictured above) and Dusty Payne kicked off Round 3, but what most everyone is waiting for is Heat 6 when Kelly Slater faces event wild card Dylan Graves and Heat 7 when Jordy Smith faces Gabe Kling. Kelly’s number 10 clinching hangs in the balance. As a reminder, here’s how it looks:
• If Slater finishes Equal 3rd or better, he clinches the 2010 ASP World Title.
• If Slater finishes Equal 5th or Equal 9th, Smith must win the event to send the ASP World Title Race to Hawaii.
• If Slater finishes Equal 13th or Equal 25th, Smith must finish Equal 3rd or better to send the ASP World Title Race to Hawaii.
• Essentially, if Smith fails to finish higher than Equal 5th, Slater claims the 2010 ASP World Title.
[Update 11:06 AM PST: Both Kelly and Jordy won their round three heats and the battle moves on to the quarterfinals.]
Andy Irons’ win over Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and Cory Lopez in the 2006 Rip Curl Pro Pipeline Masters may have been one of the happiest days of Andy’s life. Seeing Andy bouncing with joy at the end of this clip has brought us smiles during an otherwise sorrow filled week.
Vanshas just released their freshened up Triple Crown of Surfing app Vans Live. The completely redesigned app is a super smooth upgrade from last year’s version. Vans Live allows iPhone and iPad users to catch all the live action, scoring, photos, surf forecasts, and heats on demand from all three jewels of the Triple Crown (men’s and women’s events) via both WI-FI and 3G.
Only on Vans Live can you follow the 28th Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, watching top-ranked pros such as Kelly Slater, Jordy Smith, Mick Fanning, Dane Reynolds and other vie for the coveted Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Title, valuable ASP world title points, and a potential world title showdown at the infamous Banzai Pipeline.
App creator Black Sun Productions has improved nearly every aspect of the since the first version appeared last year (click to see our original review). But our favorite feature (aside from it being free) is the push alert. They allow even the laziest surf fan to know exactly when the events are on. If the contest is live, users will get pinged and that alone is worth downloading the app. Click the link and be ready for the November 12, 2010 start of the Reef Pro from Haleiwa.
Surfers in Puerto Rico for the Rip Curl Pro Search paddled out today in memory of Andy Irons and have postponed the event until Friday morning “to give the ASP professional surfers the space they needed to clear their heads, get their arms around each other and just take it all in,” according to Neil Ridgway, Rip Curl Global Marketing & Advertising Chairman.
Kelly Slater had this to say about the day:
“We had a nice paddle out for Andy,’ Slater said. “It was a huge a group of people that got together – a couple hundred people paddled out. Obviously everyone is very somber and it’s just devastating news for everyone.”
“Everyone had their own connection with Andy on so many different levels,” Slater said. “He was a classic guy. Although he and I butted heads a lot a few years ago, I have so many good memories of Andy and we have become pretty good friends since. Generally, we just sit around and don’t even talk about surfing. We just have dinner and talk.”
“We’re just baffled that he’s gone.”
For video from the paddle out and more surfers’ comments follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Lyndie and Andy Irons at the premiere of Fly In The Champagne February 19, 2009.
Reports of Andy Iron’s untimely death began circulating via text message and phone calls a little after 1 PM today (Tuesday, November 2, 2010). The 32-year-old three-time ASP World Surfing champion reportedly succumbed to fever during a layover in Dallas, Texas on his way home to Hawaii. He was found in his room by Grand Hyatt Hotel employees at 9:44 AM, according to the Associated Press.
Irons was in Puerto Rico to compete in the Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico but reportedly was ill on arrival and was too sick to surf his round one heat 8 against Luke Stedman and Owen Wright.
The night will kick off at 7pm here at the shop for giveaways, raffles, and vintage bikes on display along with all of the Brixton x Deus hats and apparel. At 9pm we’ll then be moving the party down the street to Laguna’s oldest bar in town, The Marine Room [21+], where we’ll be hosting the rest of the night with live music by Becky Lee & Drunkfoot, Yuma Territorial Prison Guard, and Thalia Surf’s own DJ Burnout.
Mary Mills interviews Derek Hynd for Liquid Salt Mag and asks the finless innovator who he thinks is “shaping the path for surfing today.” His response:
Can’t say anyone is as individuals. The corporation shapes surfing. The corporation pays for performance. The corporation pushes the message. The corporation wins over those who buy the line. Any one who surfs for themselves, rides boards from their own space, distances themselves from as much bullshit as is possible is doing a beautiful job.
Mr. Hynd is certainly doing it beautifully. Read the rest of the interview.
On November 16, 2010 Monterey Media will be releasing The Ultimate Summer collection of Bruce Brown’s classic surf films on DVD. The 5-DVD boxed set includes: Waterlogged, Surfing Hollow Days, Slippery When Wet, Surfin’ Shorts, Surf Crazy, Barefoot Adventure, a digitally remaster version of The Endless Summer, and The Endless Summer II. And it only costs $53.99.
What better way to work on retro fashion and style than by catching all the originals in a way they’ve never been seen before. Old crusty surfers will love this.
On the podium an emotional Kelly Slater was uncharacteristically tongue tied as he tried to come to terms with his week and his 10th World Title. With tears still rolling down his cheeks he dedicated his win to Andy Irons.
