SURFING SOAPBOX: Slater well ahead in pro tour

Some things change. And well, some things don’t, like Kelly Slater still being the world’s best surfer. As he won for the fourth time in five events on this year’s Assn. of Surfing Professionals world tour, his latest coming last week at the Billabong Pro at the prestigious Jeffreys Bay.

Slater, who dominated this event from start to finish, defeated current world champion Mick Fanning. In a final that was all Slater, Fanning fell several times and never really threatened the eight-time world champion.

Slater is now in a commanding lead over his closest rivals, and barring any foreseen injuries or otherwise, you can be sure Slater at this point of the year, with six events remaining, is well on his way to world title No. 9.

Also happening this week in the world of professional surfing is the U.S. Open of Surfing at the Huntington Beach pier, with men’s, women’s and a junior pro division. So far the surf has been for the most part pretty good for this event, which in year’s past has seen marginal surf at best.

With recently rejuvenated veteran surfers like 2000 world champion and 1996 runner up in the world Shane Beschen competing in this year’s event, it should be a great mixture of the old surfing guard as well as the new in the likes of San Clemente’s Patrick Gudauskas and San Diego’s Austin Ware who are both looking for a big result here to bolster their hope of qualifying for next year’s ASP world tour.

Now if they can just get some surf.

In other close-to-home news, the Victoria skimboarding world championship will be this weekend at Aliso Beach. The big question here is: Can Bill Bryan continue his dominance of the sport or will a new face reign supreme?

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com