The World Championships in surfing are an environment of high pressure. Between the excitement of traveling and the stress of competing, athletes often fall into the trap of partying excessively to relieve that stress. Call it relieving distress, or simply taking advantage of the situation, this practice is prevalent and common. However, Kelly Slater has steered clear of them.

The 2018 documentary Andy Irons: Kissed by God is, as the name suggests, based on the life experiences of the late surfer Andy Irons. Because Kelly Slater and Andy Irons were friends and rivals, Slater also starred in the film, talking about Irons as well as his experiences at the World Tours. Some things that he revealed, are definitely astonishing.

Kelly Slater reveals the practice of excessive partying

The World Championship Tour is a perfect avenue for any surfer to show off their skills and prove that they are the best in the world. The World Tour gives a diverse set of opportunities to the participants to ride different kinds of waves to prove their mettle. In the documentary Andy Irons: Kissed by God, Slater described the world tour by saying, “The world tour is basically the best 32, the top 32 competitors, pro surfers in the world. And we travel around, we do 10 or 11 different events around the world, different countries and locations. And whoever’s on top wins the world title.”

The opportunity to participate in the world’s biggest surfing competition is a privilege and an honor in itself. However, during his first world tour, Slater was surprised to find a different state of affairs. he soon discovered that not everyone was as serious about the whole concept. He recalled, “When I first got on tour, pretty much everyone on tour partied, really hard. You know, blind shit-faced drunk. I just couldn’t believe, I’m like, “We gotta compete tomorrow. What are these people doing?””

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Slater, however, is a strict disciplinarian. Therefore, for him, staying away from temptation was simply a matter of principle. According to Kelly Slater, “For me, it wasn’t hard to not get sucked into that world because it was simple. Those things never made people better. In fact, that was just like kryptonite for people.” Slater has always treated his body like a temple. He is known to be a clean eater and a sustainable consumer.

Slater’s long professional career

Kelly Slater’s restraint is probably a reason why he has had such a long and decorated career. Even at 51 years old, Slater has been going strong in the world of surfing. Slater has under his wing 11 world title and 56 event wins. His sporting longevity is a rare occurrence. Kelly Slater won his first world title when he was 20 years old, back in 1992. Now recently, in 2022, Slater defeated the teenager Barron Mamiya and went on to win the Pipeline.

A win after nearly thirty years, that too against a much younger competitor, is no joke. While Slater might have the upper hand in experience, he has also continued to maintain his body in such a manner that age has never been a hindrance to his performance. The King of surfing, with his self-acquired nutrition expertise and a set of well-settled principles, has continued to dominate the sport for three long decades.

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