Anybody with both A) the internet and B) even a passing interest in action sports (which, given you’re reading this, we assume you are) will have seen the mind bending air that 11-time world number one surfer Kelly Slater stuck over the weekend.
The insane aerial manoeuvre set pulses racing around the surfing world, but Slater’s run only registered a measly 4.17 out of 10 from the judges who were scoring the contest at the Hurley Pro at Trestles, California.
While other people have been outraged at what they think is a low score, Slater remains pretty laid back.
“I’m not too worried about it,” he said being in an interview after the heat. “I don’t know why so many people are, to be honest with you.
WSL Head Judge Richie Porta also spoke out about the score saying “If you do the most amazing aerial the world has ever seen… and you land on your belly, it’s an incomplete manoeuvre. It’s worth nothing. This is the top 34 in the world. [These are] the best surfers in the world”.
In fairness, we kind of see where Porta is coming from. However, let’s not let the low score or Slaters obvious surprise at hitting it take away from how down-right rad it was. Eve if it was an accident, maybe somebody will watch this and give it ago themselves, and land a 540 semi body varial thingy to get-up (or, The Mpora as we like to call it).
