Kelly Slater wins, again!
Kelly Slater won yet another world title. Makes one want to ask, “is this for real”? It almost seems as though the world title is just another sales driven award given out by the world`s largest action sport clothing manufacturer, but it`s not. Ask any of the top surfers out there if Kelly Slater deserves the world title and the majority of them will hands down agree that Kelly Slater is not just the King of surfing, but he is also one of the greatest athletes to have ever lived and still kicks ass. Who else has won 11 world titles and dominated his sport for over two decades? Only Kelly.
It has been a year since the passing of Andy Irons. The international surf community experienced a great loss in 2011 and many have not yet recovered. Billabong, for one, has not yet found another star competitor to replace Andy Irons, who Kelly Slater acknowledged as his only real competitor, and Billabong continues to use his image to sell more products. The international surf community seems to have lost an icon yet gained a new title for world class events and headlines. This year, for instance, Kelly Slater dedicated his 11th world title to Andy and the Pipeline Masters are going to be held in memory of Andy Irons. It seems that the international surf community is remembering the loss of an important member and not letting him rest in peace. 
The ASP Board and Surfers voted to implement drug testing in 2012, thus taking yet another step forward in turning our stereotype into that of profesional athletes and not just surf bums who like to play in the waves and smoke weed on the beach.