With eleven world surfing titles under his belt, 52-year-old Kelly Slater has declared that he will retire from professional surfing in 2024. The hitch is that Slater will only say goodbye if he gets a seat in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where surfing will take place at the famous Teahupo’o in Tahiti – the location of his five wins.

As he celebrated his birthday yesterday, Slater revealed a well-kept birthday secret that reveals a surf pilgrim tradition, along with a donation request to his fans preserve the surf location.

Kelly Slater revisits birthday destination

Known for his exuberant demeanor, Slater spent his fifty-second birthday in Hawaii’s surf location that’s close to his heart. Popular for being an intense competitor on the waves, not many people are aware of his tight association with Hawaii’s Sunset Beach Elementary School. Slater recently revealed on Instagram, reposting @sunsetbeachpta’s story, with the caption, “Last night’s #SurfNight at @sunset beach elementary school was all time.” 

Slater added, “I’ve been to almost every one of them since 1990. All the raised funds to towards art and music for the kids so please donate any chance you get.” But what is the bond between Sunset Beach School and Slater? It turns out that right across the street from the school is the famous surf area at Ehukai Beach Park, Banzai Pipeline, which had awe-inspiring waves.

Sunset Beach’s secret treasure has been a part of Slater’s life since he was 18, while Slater visited Oahu(a 45-minute drive from Sunset Beach) on family vacations when he was a child. At 20, he won the coveted Pipeline Masters in Hawaii to earn his first World Title. Interestingly, Sunset Beach and Velzyland are places where Owen Wilson and Morgan Freeman stayed when filming “The Big Bounce”. Beyond the waves, Slater’s relationship with this region is entwined with his achievements in both his personal and professional spheres which he continues to protect.

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The preservation achievement by Kelly Slater

Slater regularly participates in maintaining Oahu’s distinct surfing culture on the North Shore. Along with fellow activist Jack Johnson, Slater has been instrumental in raising $7M to preserve a 200-acre site overlooking Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline through their partnership with the North Shore Community Land Trust.

READ MORE “They’re Not All So Glorious”: 29 Years After Special Career Moment, Surfing Legend Kelly Slater Makes a Shocking Revelation

Their efforts have prevented the building of high-rise condos and preserved the area’s natural beauty, which draws surfers from all over the world and helped retain the area’s originality. Kelly Slater’s role in maintaining beaches and surf culture has been a vital part of his journey since the beginning, even as he considers retirement and a possible Olympic journey.

Watch this story A huge shock for surfing fans before vans pipeline from Kelly Slater and John John Florence