Surf legend Kelly Slater claims Pipe Masters for 56th Championship Tour days before his 50th birthday
American 11-time world champion won his eighth Pro Pipeline surfing title in Hawaii, 30 years after his first, and called it the "best win of my life"
Surfing
Kelly Slater, the 11-time world surfing champion completed another historic achievement on Saturday (5 February 2022).
Just days before his 50th birthday (11 February), the American won the Billabong Pro Pipeline title in Hawaii - his eighth Pipe Masters win.
It came 30 years after he first claimed the prestigious title at the famous Banzai Pipeline.
Slater beat Seth Moniz of Hawaii in the final, with a score of 18.77 out of a possible 20.
"I was out there just telling myself to be in the moment, no matter how much tension there is. Just breathe," the 49-year-old told WSL.
"So I was just breathing, being in the moment. I thought Seth (Moniz) broke the combo because of the crowd and I said, ‘Just stay in the moment, soak it up.' But I just savored this and this is the best win of my life.”
Slater was a reserve for Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.