For the first time since joining the Championship Tour in 1991, 11-time world champion Kelly Slater fell off the tour after a loss to Australian Liam O’Brien in Round 3 of the Margaret River Pro. But that doesn’t mean he’s down for the count yet, Jake Howard reports this week. The WSL announced that Slater and Johanne Defay of France were awarded the wildcards, allowing them entry to the Championship Tour and to continue earning ranking points for the rest of the season.
For the first time since joining the Championship Tour in 1991, 11-time world champion Kelly Slater has officially fallen off tour, Jake Howard reports this week. With the WSL implementing a midseason cutoff this year, Slater’s loss to Australian Liam O’Brien in Round 3 of the Margaret River Pro ensured that he wouldn’t be around for the second half of the 2023 season.