ASP World Tour beslist na Billabong Pipe Masters

Kelly Slater heeft voor de zevende keer de Billabong Pipe Masters gewonnen na een spectaculaire dag met golven van drie tot vier meter hoog. Slater wist de wedstrijd te winnen na een zwaarbevochten finale met John John Florence, die in totaal zo’n 35 minuten in beslag nam. De laatste dag van de Billabong Pipe Masters bracht overigens ook de beslissing in de ASP World Tour want Mick Fanning is uitgeroepen tot wereldkampioen. Hieronder kan je reacties van zowel Mick als Kelly teruglezen, voor een uitgebreid verslag kan je terecht op de website van de Billabong Pipe Masters. Hier zijn trouwens ook de hoogtepunten terug te kijken, dit is zeker een aanrader!

“It was a strange Final,” Slater said. “John John (Florence) and I both waited for a while aound neither of us really got a score until late in the match. I knew it was going to be a sprint and it was probably a little advantageous not to have priority in the Final as I was able to go for a lot of waves instead of wait for those that took a while to eventuate.”

“Last year, someone asked me what excited me in the end years of my career and I said I would like to surf a Final at Pipe against John John (Florence) so that’s pretty special today,” Slater said. “To win is even better. I want to surf against the best surfers at the best waves – that’s why I’m on tour. I was obviously emotional today, especially after Mick (Fanning) clinched the title in the Quarters. I don’t know what happens for me in 2014 but I think that has pissed me off just enough to come back.”

“I’ve never put myself in the same circles as Tom Curren and Andy Irons,” Fanning said. “Tom (Curren) is such an enigma and was so instrumental to injecting style into our sport. Andy (Irons)…what hasn’t been said about Andy? He was such a legend and he was such a good friend. I’m honored to be a part of this group. I was happy with one title and I was overwhelmed with two. With three? I don’t have words for that.”