The world's most successful professional surfer shows off his board. ;)
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Robert Kelly Slater (born February 11, 1972, Cocoa Beach, Florida, US) is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest (at age 20) and the oldest (at age 39) to win the title. Upon winning his 5th world title in 1997, Slater passed Australian surfing legend Mark Richards to become the most successful champion in the history of the sport. In 2007 he also became the all-time leader in career event wins by winning the Boost Mobile Pro event at Lower Trestles near San Clemente, California. The previous record was held by Slater's childhood hero, 3-time world champion Tom Curren.
In addition to the ASP tour, Slater has also competed in the X-Games (in 2003 and 2004). After earlier being awarded the title prematurely as a result of a miscalculation by the ASP, on November 6, 2011 Slater officially won his eleventh ASP world title at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco, by winning his 4th round heat. In May 2005, in the final heat of the Billabong Tahiti Pro contest at Teahupo'o, Slater became the first surfer ever to be awarded two perfect scores for a total 20 out of 20 points under the ASP two-wave scoring system. (The corresponding honor under the previous three-wave system belongs to fellow American Shane Beschen who achieved the feat in 1996.) He did it again on June 2013 at the quarter finals at the Volcom Fiji Pro with two perfect ten waves, only the fourth person in history to do so. Since 1990, Slater has been sponsored primarily by surfwear industry giant Quiksilver. He exclusively rides Channel Islands surfboards equipped with his own signature series of FCS fins.
Kelly Slater has become a fundraiser and spokesperson for suicide prevention awareness. He has surfed in celebrity events for Surfers Against Suicide, telling sports website Athletes Talk "I’ve lost a couple of friends myself to suicide and it’s just a horrible thing that can be prevented. People get in this dark place and they don’t know what to do so it’s always nice to see a non-profit that isn't turning into anything else other than just trying to help people."
Kelly Slater has also expressed a strong passion for Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a form of martial arts that he has practiced with some of the world's most respected fighters, including Vitor Belfort and BJ Penn.
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