KELLY SLATER SURFS HUGE WA ON TINY BOARD [07.04.2011]Surfers

Under-gunned Slater still firing on all cylinders

KELLY SLATER CONQUERS MOUNTAINS ON TINY SLED
Telstra Drug Aware Pro 2011 - Day 4

MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia (Thursday, April 7, 2011) – While surfers scrounged to find the longest boards they could to deal with monstrous four-to-five metre waves on Day 4 of Margaret River's Telstra Drug Aware Pro, Kelly Slater audaciously rode a tiny 5’9” craft and still managed to tear apart conditions as well as his hapless opponents to march into the Round of 24.

"When I was paddling out I was thinking I should have taken out an 8 footer," said Slater. "But when I had to duck-dive a bomb set I was glad I had a small board I could push way down."

The 39 year-old 10-time World Champion quickly secured two good scoring waves in his heat, astounding onlookers and comfortably placing himself ahead of his nearest opponent, Masatoshi Ohno of Japan.

"I was having a ball out there, I was laughing the whole time!" said a clearly stoked Slater.

Eliminated behind Slater and Ohno were Matt Wilkinson of Australia and Pablo Paulino of Brazil.

Irrelevant Caddie: 'Ah..Kelly, are you sure you want that board?'

Current World No.2 and local, Taj Burrow (WA, AUS) was another to impress in the wild conditions. The former winner survived the Margaret River washing machine to progress comfortably behind fellow Aussie, Kai Otton (NSW, AUS).

"Wild and wooly out there - lots of big lumps," said Burrow. "Maybe it favours the locals but everyone cops a beating out there no matter who you are."

Taj Burrow (AUS) continues to impress

Joel Parkinson (Gold Cast, AUS), Julian Wilson (Sunshine Coast, AUS) and Damien Hobgood (Fl, USA) were among the other heat winners today.

"It's hard out there. You think you're sitting in the right spot then a wave breaks 30 foot further out or 30 foot further in," said Parkinson. "But I can't complain, I had fun - It's good to surf some bigger waves. I can't wait to get back out there."

Joel Parkinson (AUS) stroking a monster

Wilson, who posted the morning’s top scoring ride with an excellent 8.67, also reveled in the huge conditions.

"It's big and windy out there but on the right waves the faces are clean," said Wilson. "I'm fine with it, I much prefer bigger surf than small (surf) - so no complaints from me!"

Julian Wilson (AUS) lines up his target

Jet-skis were used to pluck surfers from the path of the ferocious swell and ferry them back to the lineup. And when surfboards buckled and broke in two, they also prevented surfers from a daunting swim to shore.

The huge swell is expected to hold overnight with winds forecasted to swing favourably to the south, promising excellent conditions as competition resumes tomorrow.

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KELLY SLATER - TELSTRA DRUG AWARE PRO - DAY 3

KELLY SLATER INTERVIEW - TELSTRA DRUG AWARE PRO

KELLY SLATER SURFING SYDNEY

KELLY SLATER'S TOP 10 WAVES 2010

KELLY SLATER TESTING HIS EQUIPMENT AT RINCON

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Kelly Slater surfing, Telstra Drug Aware pro, surf news, western australia, Margaret river surfing

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