A Better Script Couldn't Be Written: Kelly Wins 8th World Title; Bobby Martinez Wins Mundaka

EVENTS HELD: Quarterfinal 4 to the Final
CONDITIONS: 2 foot onshore Mundaka
NATURE’S CALL: Good the next two days in France, as usual
PREDICTIONS: Fiesta time for Sl8r, Martinez and company tonight

“The best surfer in the world is the one having the most fun.” – Phil Edwards

Edwards’ quote was never more true than right here right now. That’s because Kelly Slater is the world’s best and he’s also enjoying it the most. He clinched his 8th World Title with one heat and two events to spare this year because he’s focused, relaxed and having a blast. “I woke up early and I was really calm,” he said. “I felt like it was going to happen today.”

He hasn’t felt an ounce of pressure all year and it showed today. He spent the morning in Mundaka eating fruit, telling jokes, playing the ukulele and singing Gnarls Barkely’s “Crazy” over and over. No stress, no anxiety, nothing. Then he headed down to the comp and watched Dean Morrison stage a huge comeback against Taj Burrow. Dingo’s win made things really simple: if Kelly beat Joel Parkinson in the next heat the title was his.

The waves, two foot dribby Mundaka, definitely favored lower centered Slater. He and Parko went wave for wave for a while before Kelly found one that lined up better than the others. “I put everything I had into that wave,” he said. “My muscles were aching and tired, but I knew it was going to win me the heat and the title.”

Parko got another wave, but it wasn’t enough and so Kelly cruised, as he has all year, to his 8th world title. He came in to the beach pumping his fist with Parko incredulously asking, “Did Kelly just win the title?” Yes, Parko he did.

The final with Bobby was pure bliss. They played ro-sham-bo for first wave priority and Kelly won. After that it was all Bobby (this the 2nd win of his rookie season) At the end, they congratulated each other over and over. The crowd couldn’t get enough of a guy named Martinez winning an event in Spain and Kelly called out Bobby on stage in Spanish for not being able to speak the language.

So that is the lesson. Win by having fun. And right now in Spain, the night is young and there’s a whole lot of fun to be had. It’s time to get out there and celebr8.

Today’s results:

Remaining quarterfinal: (1st to semifinal 2nd to equal 5th and 732 ratings points)

Quarterfinal 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.50 vs Dean Morrison (AUS) 12.00

Semifinals: (1st to final 2nd receives equal 3rd and 876 ratings points)

Semifinal 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.50 def Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.14
Semifinal 2: Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.57 def Dean Morrison (AUS) 11.60

Final: (1st receives 1200 ratings points 2nd receives 1032 ratings points)

Final: Bobby Martinez 16.40 def Kelly Slater (USA) 14.27

Current Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour top 10 ratings after event #9 The Billabong Pro Mundaka

1. Kelly Slater (USA) 7824
2. Andy Irons (HAW) 6348
3. Taj Burrow (AUS) 6290
4. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6050
5. Mick Fanning (AUS) 5848
6. Bobby Martinez (USA) 5843
7. Damien Hobgood (USA) 5152
8. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 4948
9. Taylor Knox (USA) 4880
10. Dean Morrison (AUS) 4856

 

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