Slater Defeats Wright in Historic Final to Win Hurley Pro at Trestles, Strengthens ASP Ratings’ Lead
Kelly Slater topped Owen Wright in their third consecutive Final to win his fifth Hurley Pro at Trestles title.
LOWER TRESTLES, California/USA (Wednesday, September 21, 2011) – Kelly Slater (USA), 39, has won his fifth Hurley Pro at Trestles title, defeating Owen Wright (AUS), 21, in a hard-fought Final that saw the iconic Floridian overtake the young Australian in a last-minute exchange with a final score of 17.50 to 16.74.
Slater and Wright’s third consecutive Final bout marks a first in ASP history, as no two competitors have faced off in three successive ASP Dream Tour Finals – a noteworthy statistic in sparking this new rivalry in the battle for the ASP World Title.
Slater roared to life on the Final day, unloading the highest heat-total of competition, 18.40 out of 20 in the Semifinals, and maintained his lethal form throughout the day’s entirety with a consistent display of new-school airs and patented carves to clinch his unprecedented 48th elite ASP World Tour victory and third of the season.
“Owen (Wright) is tough and he’s been surfing great,” Slater said. “There really are no weak points to his surfing and he’s going to be a standout in every spot. A lot of the guys tried to get him this week and I got lucky in that last exchange. I was taking the first wave of the set under his priority and once I got priority I wanted to wait. It almost looked like there wasn’t a wave after Owen’s. It’s been fun surfing against Owen and surfing Lowers. It’s been a great week and thanks everyone for the crazy support, it’s been wonderful.”
Wright, current No. 2 on the ASP World Title rankings, has continued to build momentum throughout his sophomore year amongst the ASP Top 34 and dispatched of a rampaging Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, and rookie prodigy Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, en route to his rematch against Slater, but was unable to solidify the victory over the veteran in the Final.
“I’ve been enjoying the rivalry,” Wright said. “We’ve had some great heats and the last three finals have been great. I’m glad the sets came through at the end. It was a bit of a dud final but I’m glad that last exchange came though at the end. It made it exciting.”
Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, was a standout throughout the Hurley Pro at Trestles, earning the highest single-wave score of 9.80 as well as the second-highest heat-total of 18.23 in his Quarterfinals win over Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, and consistently unloaded some of the most progressive maneuvers of the contest.
“I had a bit of fire after yesterday, not against Joel (Parkinson), but just to show that I could beat him,” Wilson said after his Quarterfinal win. “I’ve dreamed about surfing against Joel and Mick (Fanning) my whole life and yesterday gave me a lot of confidence to go against him today.”
The young Australian got off to a slow start in his Semifinals matchup versus Owen Wright after an interference and was unable to rebound, finishing equal 3rd overall. Wilson now sits at No. 11 on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Heitor Alves (BRA), 29, who finished equal 5th in New York, continued his giant killing spree at the Hurley Pro Trestles, defeating ASP World Title campaigners Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, and Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, before falling to Slater in the Semifinals to earn his career best result of an equal 3rd place finish.
“Thanks God for everything in my life,” Alves said. “This is a good result for me. Adriano is a good surfer, he rips this wave and surfs very well. This is a great event for me and I enjoy this wave.”
Alves’ performance moves him from No. 20 to 14 on the ASP World Title Rankings.
The next stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season will be the Quiksilver Pro France from October 4 – 13, 2011.
Highlights from the Hurley Pro at Trestles are available via http://www.hurley.com/hurleypro
For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES FINAL RESULT:
1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 17.50
2 – Owen Wright (AUS) 16.74
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.40 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 16.57
SF 2: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.74 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 10.04
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES QUARTERFINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.77 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.50
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.60 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.07
QF 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 15.67 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.67
QF 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 18.23 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.93
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 5 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.74 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 9.80
Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.27 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.97
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.23 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.27
Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.67 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.37
CURRENT ASP WORLD TITLE TOP 10 (After Hurley Pro at Trestles)
1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 44,950 pts.
2 – Owen Wright (AUS) 39,900
3 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 35,400
4 – Adriano de Souza (BRA)31950
5 – Josh Kerr (AUS)30,800
6 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 29,250
7 – Mick Fanning (AUS)28,200
8 – Jordy Smith (ZAF)27,500
9 – Jeremy Flores (FRA)23,700
10 – Michel Bourez (PYF) 22,250
Comments
Category: All ASP News, ASP World Tour News
There is no one that is more powerful than Slater in this contest. Owen does not lay his surfboard on edge as well as Slater. Period. I watched the final at least 6 times, and I’m sorry to all you “flickers”, power surfing at it’s best is still Slater. His 1st turn on his last wave was insane. Owen’s air was not better on his last wave. To sum it up, getting airs is a part of surfing…. but Julian Wilson actually looked to be a better surfer when he was power surfing and getting airs. I hope that others will see what I see. Looking at Fanning’s power surfing throughout the contest, and then looking at Slater’s surfing, I see why he is winning. It’s his extreme turns. And now he has pulled off some insane airs now too!
Newblood is all about airs; old school is more manuevers; which is better; only time will tell.
Are you joking me!!! I walked away from the comp think Slater is getting better & better and still kicking everyone! The young surfers want to do one move on a wave every time and get the big score to win the heat…or they do 3 or 4 of the same thing like the brazilians, then feel underscored. So many of these guys are so predictable…Slater and a very few are creative and unpredictable. Call it the same “old turns” or 90′s…but still no one has been able to match it…try paying more attention to the fine details. You want to see a skater surf and win! Most want to see a surfer surf and win…Slater earns everything he gets!!
The heat was really close, looking at all their waves I can’t definitely say Kelly or Owen won it.
What I know for sure is that Kelly shouldn’t have been given 8.5 for his second last wave.
One more thing, anybody who has ever surfed knows any air is harder than even the biggest turn, overscoring Slater’s turns is not promoting or rewarding innovation therefore it hurts the coolest sport on the planet. I was actually shocked when Slater got the 9, i picked my jaw up off of the floor. I am a huge Kelly fan, but i want to see him really earn the title and not just cruise doing turns i saw him do in 1994. Owen’s variety and airs were mindblowing, Kelly’s surfing was the same old stuff. Also, proper credit was not given to Owen’s beyond vertical backside snaps or his grab airs. Slater’s air was not in the same league as Owen. Basically the whole thing was a total bummer
I agree airs are harder for most (chance of falling higher) – but think of this fact -If airs start getting scored real high all the time the top 5 surfers in the world will all come from brazil and other areas that seem to produce air-only, flicky surfing. I think power carves still have their place just VARIETY on a wave that matters. In saying all this Owen definitely showed more variety in final – but Parko too got scored pretty high on turns only in a couple of his rounds… so dont think its a biased thing just the way the judges set a precedent earlier on in the comp.
Slater was overscored and Owen was underscored in my humble opinion. Slater had little variety and no progression, i thought that was what the judging criteria is supposed to be based on. Slater earned an 8.5 for two or three standard cutbacks, they were good looking but if what Slater did earned an 8.5 and a 9 point something it seems Owen earned two 9.5s. How is it Slater can even get a 8.5 without an air? Maneuvers just seem to be worth more when Slater performs them, that isn’t what competition is about, that is a popularity contest not a surfing contest. I know the judges are smart guys and great surfers but i think they are just too star-struck with Slater and can’t separate their being fans of him from their job of making an unbiased critique of the surfing. Its obvious Owen Wright is the best surfer in the world now and not Slater, i don’t want to see the World Title race become a popularity contest. Please lets not cheapen what it means to be World Champ.
To your feet first,but it starts counting when your hands leaves the rail. I thought Julian was awesome in his previous heat against Joel. Owen looked very nervous. John John had some bad luck but KS11 is on the way CONGRATS you are the CHAMP.Pretty soon I will have your newest sticker on my car covering a new rust spot. Cheers mates
Saw the final — Slater is the face of surfing, he makes the industry go, sells boards, merchandise, etc., etc.
Wright surfed better, Slater won. Slater got an 8.something on a 2 turn wave that even the announcers seemed to be swallowing their doubt on.
Anyway, will be shocked if Ke11y comes back for another tour after this victory lap. The guy completely rips, extraordinary what he can do at age 39, but the youth have caught him on one side and “old” age is coming on the other. Enjoy his final year of finals (before he gets on big wave tour that is, and starts getting shacked in 20-30 foot bombs
)
Well done Kelly, so great to see you surfing at the highest level against these new crew of air freaks. Owen has done so great this year and I did expect that as of been a huge fan to he’s surfing.
And boo hoo to Bobby who clearly cried like a baby about a few new crew cutting into the ASP, yet they surfed this event better than him on hes best days….. And those brazilians clearly need to stop hassling and claiming so hard at the end of their rides. it makes them look like idiots and bigger idiots whoever their surfing against blows them away with no claims or a small claim and just pure style of flicking of the back of the wave as if that was nothing….
Those brazilians look like the jizz themselves on there claims…. Talk about in love with yourself.
I still think judges should deduct 1point if it’s a Jizz claim….
Hey stop crying, all the guys were claiming and hassling, so what? If you just see brazilians doing it is because you are blind.
Hassling is part of competition, and claims dont make any difference at the end. Dont you see taj hassling against adriano? So dont cry, it makes you look like an idiot
STOP OVERSCORING SLATER – Slater gets 8s and 9s for doing turns. Although they were big hacks, no one else gets big scores unless they take to the air or do something progressive – and a turn followed by freeing the fins on the open face is not progressive – that shit was new in 1990. Even Knox, who does the biggest hacks on tour, can’t get above a 7.5 for power surfing – he can’t buy an 8. They should just give Slater the title and take the rest of the year off.
I agree completely. The best surfer didn’t win, he got second because the scores were skewed in favor of the more famous surfer, total shame, and it feels like the legitimacy of the world title is now called into question. I love the ASP and it is a great organization, new format is an improvement of course, but the majority of people who saw the heat don’t think the right guy won in this case. The judges are good at what they do but its not rocket science picking a winner. Owen had more variety, more progression, performed airs on both scoring waves whereas Slater only did one air and it was stock, and Owen equaled Slater in power and flow, what were the judges thinking? It seems Slater has too many friends who are judges and too many people who want to be on his good side who are unwilling to call foul when they see it. Disappointing that the commentators just pay endless lip service to Slater instead of really speaking their mind. Lets keep it real from now on huh?
Why innovation and progressiveness does not apply to Kelly Slater? In the last wave he did the same thing he did in 90´s. He had strength and speed but lacked innovation and progressiveness. Owen filled ALL the criteria in the last wave and got a lower score. For me Owen deserved to win the heat.
The wave at trestles looks like a peak so both surfers Owen & Julian were sitting deep to go left & right, Julian was 1st to his feet, saw the possible collision & got out of the way & never interferred with Ownens wave. Bad call for interferance. Why dont you flip a coin at the start to see who get’s priority for the 1st wave.
Great call – Flipping coin for first wave is a excellent idea. @ASP listen to your fans.
Agreed. That interference call on Julian was totally bogus. Either double interference or none at all. Nobody had priority. It was a split peak AND Julian was to his feet first. The judging this year overall has been not good. I know it’s subjective but facryin’ out loud. Very disappointed in the call. We can do better.
The whole Hurley Pro contest was amazing. Owen and Julian are the best 2 young surfers right now. Kerrsy and Heitor surfed great too.
Guys ,Kelly is a phenomenon, he doesn´t need the help that all the world saw at Trestles. It devaluate our sport. Think big like MMA!!!
Loving the Aussie youngsters, but its hard not to cheer for the old man ripping it up… GO KELLY
Everybody blew the top of the performance bar today. Mick and Joel, tour veterans were hot. Yesterday I thought Joel would explode and take this contest. Mick’s 18.23 this morning made a similar statement. Right now the buzz is about the newbies and Owen. The 2nd semi might have been even better had it not started with the interference call. Julian was to his feet first but Owen was in the better part of the breaking wave. Kelly! I think Lowers fined tuned itself for Kelly. His surgical precision on some moves boggles the mind.
What a great honour for the current crop of young guns to be able to surf against Slats. Imagine being a kid growing up in the 90/00′s and thinking how awesome this guy Kelly Slater was only to find yourself making history surfing in three consecutive finals against him. Joel, Mick and Taj must be wondering where this new kid has come from. Great for surfing and great for Australia. Keep it up Owen and long live KS!
2 things. I reckon Owen outscored Kelly in the final – his airs were higher and more critical and they were even in every other dept. 2nd thing is – If julian in his semi was 1st to his feet in the interference on Owen surely he has right of way? Maybe he shouldn’t have faded back left and pulled off giving Owen the wave. Joel oustmarted him in round 5 in a similar situation – he needs a bit of mongrel – or he’ll keep finishing 2nd.
4 things…………1) You’re an idiot. 2) Slater was clearly the winner, just check the score. 3) Kelly’s maneuvers were more fluid and flowing and 4) he landed all his airs cleaner.
Fairs fair on this one – Kelly deserved the win… Although I did think Owen’s first wave with slop grab was underscored vs Kelly’s first wave – anyway all history now… Kelly gunna be hard to beat…
*slob* grab
@Sticky . . . Slater only did one air and it was basic while Owen did airs Slater didn’t even try to attempt possibly for fear of falling. Keeping the judging criteria in mind Owen was clearly underscored therefore Slater was not the clear winner. If he did deserve to win it should have been by a narrow margin and not the better part of a point. Enjoy this while it lasts because the judges won’t get away with handing out cushion scores to Slater much longer.
How about that Slater.. fellow east coaster .. carry on Kelly.