Surf legend Kelly Slater not ‘100 per cent committed’ to retiring from World Tour

HE’S one of the world’s oldest elite athletes but evergreen surfer Kelly Slater says age isn’t what will send him to the sand. So, what would?

HE’S one of the world’s oldest elite athletes but evergreen surfer Kelly Slater says age isn’t what will send him to the sand.

The 45-old American says he is still not “100 per cent committed’’ to leaving the world surfing tour at the end of the year.

Slater, who made an early mark at the Margaret River Pro by taking down triple world champion Mick Fanning and Italian rookie Leonardo Fioravanti on Wednesday, says form and motivation will dictate the timing of his retirement from top-level competition, not his age.

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A high-flying Kelly Slater at the Quick Pro Gold Coast,

“I don’t buy into that age thing,’’ he told The Daily Telegraph. “I know 60-year-olds who are fitter and stronger than they’ve ever.

“I’ve always said if I though I couldn’t win a world title then I would check out, call time.

“But I’m still feeling it. The grind of doing something for 25 years gets to you at times. But I still love it.’’

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Slater, who has suffered from back pain for years, said he was “OK’’ with his fifth place finish in the opening event of the world tour, the Quiksilver Pro, but is looking for better results this season as he chases a 12th world crown.

Kelly Slater isn’t committed 100 per cent to retiring from the world tour at the end of the year.

Many believe Kelly Slater still has the smarts, and the moves, to win a 12th world crown.

While it was barrels of fun for rivals later in the day, Slater was delivered a stressful wave-starved heat in tricky conditions at North Break, a hollow right hand reef-point, to advance at the Margaret River Pro and send good mate Fanning and Fioravanti into the elimination second round.

“It was still struggle street out there,’’ Slater said.

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Fanning and Fioravanti will be in good company in round two with world No. 2 Matt Wilkinson joining the pair after finishing third in another erratic heat in the second leg of the world championships tour.

Other’s to conquer the tricky conditions on day one included Australian rookie Jack Freestone, South African Jordy Smith and American danger Kolohe Andino.