Kerrzy Dissects the Fanning Slater Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Final
Josh 'The Analyst' Kerr checks out two different approaches to the Bells Bowl.
SYDNEY, New South Wales/Australia (Wednesday, April 11, 2012) – The world is still recovering after five electric days of surfing at Bells Beach for the 2012 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach won by Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 21, respectively. The surf pumped, the sun shone, the winds were variable offshore and high-performance surfing in the Bowl was categorically redefined. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the Final between Fanning and reigning 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 40. The momentum had built throughout the event to the Final’s crescendo with both surfers taking the waves apart with very different approaches. In the end, Fanning narrowly edged out Slater 18.80 to 18.07. One man who was there to witness was current ASP World No. 5 Josh Kerr (AUS), 28. STAB Magazine recently caught up with Kerrzy to get his take on the Final. This…is their story…
Josh Kerr has straw-coloured hair, a scar on his cheek and the world tour’s most consummate aerial swagger. He invents swirl-flavours (the Kerrupt!) and makes any lineup look like a skatepark. So, when Kelly Slater threw the most impressive full-roter ever seen in a jersey, during the final of the Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach, we could think of no one better to break it down for us. But that ain’t all we talked about. Josh also says Kelly would’ve won the contest if it’d been in the US, that it should be the Winkipop Pro and that he’s ditched the headphones and pre-heat focus for 2012. Kid was ‘sorting some things out’ on the Gold Coast before heading back to Cali when he clicked green on Stab‘s call. Read on, we dare!
Kelly’s 10 in the final. Discuss.
That thing… was… absolutely… messed up. And really, really well executed. It was definitely one of the bigger no-grab to-the-flat full-rotations I’ve ever seen. I think Wade Goodall is one of the only other guys who would try a big spin out to the flats like that. That one Kelly did… it’s an ankle-breaking manoeuvre. That’s all I think about when I see that – just broken ankles. When he’s combo’d is the only time he does those things, in those situations. I’ve never seen him do something like that freesurfing or on video or anything like that. He’s a proper, ridiculous sportsman, because he rises even above his own level when he’s in the heat of competition. It’s the biggest frontside full-rote ever done in competition, for sure. He hucked that thing and didn’t get one bit of cushion before he landed on the flats. He had a long way down.
He literally threw caution to the wind.
If he was gonna do an air into that side/offshore wind, that was the only real option. The only way to get your board into that wind is by projecting out when throwing the rotation – that’s how you get your board flat against the wind. He knows that. He’s smart as hell. He knew exactly what he was doing and knew he had a chance. And I’ll tell you what – out there, it’s frigging close-to-impossible to do airs.
Who, in your eyes, won the final?
You know what? Kelly obviously did the best manoeuvres in the final, by a mile. But, it’s one of those ones where it could’ve gone either way. Generally when it can go either way, it’ll go Kelly’s way. And that’s why it’s kinda weird that it didn’t. But you know, it can’t always go his way and that’s what…
For the full breakdown, check out STAB Magazine’s ‘Tomorrow Gets Me Higher’
For more on JOSH KERR, check out his ASP WORLD TOUR PROFILE
Comments
Category: All ASP News, ASP Editorial News
kelly is undisputed but watching comps on t.v or net you dont get proper context if you want to be post negative posts make them constructive and smile next time you go surf
Are you kidding!
What is the criteria? where was the comp? how can you give a perfect 10 for 1 turn on a s#*t close out at Bells??? Don’t get me wrong, that was the most amazing air done in a contest Apparantly, but it is Bells, not an air contest, the only way a 10 should have been given in that final is if Mick made his last turn on his best ride… Kelly’s air was a 9.5 plus but can not get a 10… that should stirr the pot, Haha.
Go Mick WT3…
Everybody keeps comparing Kelly’s “BACKUP” with Mick’s “HIGH” score. Try comparing that SAME BACKUP against Mick’s BACKUP. Kelly got 3 HUGE outside turns, another mid face turn, and finished with a reverse, Mick got 5 pumps down the line, 1 hit, (cutbacks don’t count), and one of the easiest airs you can do. Anybody who thinks Mick 9.1 was better than the wave of Kelly’s they keep comparing it to the 9.7, try comparing the same wave to the “9.1″. I give Mick the nod on the 9.7 but his 9.1 was WEAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Surfing in general is an art form, on the wave that is, surfing becomes a circus in the air, so fly by nights as in Kelly Slater airs is not enough to be called an art form, thus in competitive surfing, carving down the line wins over all, especially on large waves and at such high speed.
la traduccion en el castellano, ) es en plural.
Any intermediate surfer can do cut backs but it takes a pro to do the air that Kelly pulled off… That should have been another notch in Kellys belt for sure…
Controversial, but incredibly exciting. Thats how I saw the final, and it could have gone either way like Kerrsy said, so one goes against Kelly and thats life.Kelly may not always be the best surfer on the planet but he is by far the best competitor ever, with daylight second.I hope he goes to all the comps this year.Its good that if he doesnt win it, the surfer who does gets to compete against him all year.ew champs need to knock old ones off. Go Parko or Taj, dont you think its about time fellas?
…i wonder if anyone else thought that slater’s carving 360 was underscored…as if the judges didn’t take into account the skill and timing required to do that right in the pocket…fanning’s down the line surfing may have had more power and speed…but for me it’s repetitive compared with the 360 and exceptional air…
no. i think Kelly’s 360 was not underscored. watch it again. 1st, Kelly gets bogged down in the foam. kelly does not ride out of it cleanly. 2nd, Kelly’s bottocks was facing to the sky and he nearly face planted into his surfboard.
Could not agree with you more dude. Spot on.
That was def underscored no one else does those as fluent as KS does… that whole final was set-up to push an Aussie thru..KS clearly won that event
go eugene sorry jimmy maybe in nyc but not in bells beach
I think fanning still deserved to win, slaters 10 was most amazing air I’ve ever seen in contest, but looking at it from the judges perspective haveing to score fannings next wave 3 floorless turns on a classic good size bells wave would be hard not to give it a good score, what’s the point in having bells contest if you can get a perfect 10 on a close out at rincon…
ok just watched it again.. oh my god Mick actually did win it, the 9.7 is so much faster than slaters 8.07 the turns are intense and with power. watch them in real time not slow mo its clear as day!! Slaters turns were flicky and slow and he gets caught up.
Im sick of you people just getting clouded by your holy leader Kelly. he surfs to your emotions, he knows it and knows he’s doing it. this time though people…..the judges saw through this hazy cloud and viewed the vista of reality, and that was Mick Blowing the s#*t out of Bells with speed, flow and power than your beloved Slater. That is all…..now i just need the whole world to see this, to maybe pull some people out from behind the Kelly cloud.
Ahh that was fun
Utter drivel!
Kerzy said it himself, best manoevers, by far, El Doze…
That carving 360 was a 9 all day, every day, any contest on earth, 9.5 in most (8.07, my a%$).
Air was a 10, 11 if it could have been awarded, again, as Kerz said, best… contest air…. EVER.
Slats other 8.07, side by side with Micks 9.7: Kelly’s turns were shorter radius because of shorter equipment and would appear to be less drawn out because of length of equipment, however, he threw equal amounts of spray and the tursn were just as critical and had the same amount of rotation, turns were actually quicker than white lightnings, and because he completed all manoevers, (and didn’t fall) that wave was the equal to Micks 9.7, perhaps a 9.5 instead of 9.7 because his wave was maybe 9/10ths the size of (Micks (BUT AGAIN* HE DIDN’T FALL!).
Even had The King been scored a 9 on either wave which should have been the absolute lowest score for either of those 8.07′s, he should have won this contest hands down.
As a proud East Coaster, this was highway robbery. Kerrz, (and Kelly as well from the gracious way he handled it) obviously don’t want to rock the ASP judges boat, understood, but I got no qualms in saying K-man was flat out burned pretty badly here.
Obviously the Australian fervor of national pride and contest being in memoriam of Petersons’influenced the judges here. They did not want Kelly to overshadow Petersons accomplishments in the wake of his passing by ringing the bell more times than any other surfer (MR)in 51 years, especially when that surfer is Aussie. MP and Mick both being from the Goldy also stirred up quite a bit of nationalistic local pride I’m sure.Don’t know if the title sponsor of the events top show pony being a finalist influenced or may have had an effect on the outcome either, but this was the absolutely the wrong outcome to the greatest final in Bells history.
I love Eugene, mad props, he was due, he freaking ripped, but he should not have been the victor of this epic gladitorial battle. Kelly had two of the greatest heats in Bells history, you would think that 11 world titles and every conceivable record in ASP history would buy a Florida boy some respect: for the greatest surfer in the history of the world to win in memoriam of one of the (if not the) greatest Aussie surfers in Bells history at Bells would have been an honorable and fitting tribute due someone of MP’s stature, but alas, it is what it is.
Kelly wants that 5th bell and all this did was ensure that he will return next year with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, and while he doesn’t need to (prove anything), the supercompetitve hyperfreak he is will nonetheless, and for that (ensuring he WILL be back), I guess I have to thank the judges, they know not what they have done…
VIVA EL DOZE!!! 12 in 12′….
way to rep K-man, good on ya’ mate…
Mick fell on his 9.7. Where was that in the highlight package? Fanning surfed great all event, but in my opinion he didn’t deserve the win in the final. Thought both of Slater’s 8 point rides were superior to Mick’s 9′s. I guess the judges saw something that I didn’t… That being said it was a great final with unbelievable surfing.
here we go again, when the facts will come truth? kelly is the best but not alone he needs the reefers and the industry behind, feet on earth…BS
Kerrzy is an amazing surfer. I hope he wins it all someday!