Unless you’ve lived with your head up your own proverbial for the past few years, you’ll know that Kelly Slater is the greatest surfer there’s ever been. I am in total agreement with this statement; think he’s an out and out legend full stop, no qualms, end of. This is a documentary-style type number following Slat’s ’05 WCT season on a quest for his long awaited 7th World Championship.
Starting off on the Gold Coast, we hear what the man was thinking and feeling when he lost in the early rounds of that event and similar again at Bells, the next comp. Although he is on “super good form” when free surfing, in the man-on-man format, he was struggling to eek out that magic. The loss at Bells triggers something in him and he comes out all guns blazing in Tahiti, nailing two perfect 10’s in the final to take that out, confidence firmly on the mend. Following on, a win at Fiji, a final in J Bay, another final in Japan and the title is there for the taking on landing in France. He bums it there and then finally clinches the title in Brazil – “it is done”. The action goes from country to country with KS adding his forth penneth as and when. We see a handful of waves in Teahupoo that are dialled, a couple of jaffas in Fiji, some dream like faces in South Africa.
It was very interesting to learn more and witness the undoubted fierce rivalry between the subject and Andy Irons. Like Ali & Frazier, Borg & McEnroe, these guys definitely bring the best and worst our of each other and the ensuing battles both mental and physical are fascinating.
Another tick – to discover more about KS. The technique of this DVD lets us right into his thoughts and emotions at each juncture, letting you ride the season with him.
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