7msports > Water sports Video > Kelly Slater sneaks into California quarter-finals

Kelly Slater sneaks into California quarter-finals

Friday, September 19 2014 by SNTV
  • Intro:

    A last minute ride sealed a quarter final spot for Kelly Slater at the Hurley Pro Trestles in California on Wednesday (17th September).

    Script:

    Kelly Slater went into Wednesday's fifth round of the Hurley Pro Trestles surf knowing a win was essential.

    The American sits some way off Gabriel Medina's lead in the overall standings, the Brazilian sitting on 46,000 points to Slater's 38,000.

    Slater was up against Australian Taj Burrow in the fifth round here in California, and it went right down to the wire.

    The American took the first wave 8.60 to 7.90 and looked to be on course for the quarter-finals.

    Yet Burrow rode out a better surf on the second and put pressure on Slater to finish it off.

    The American's second effort was over a point worse than his first attempt, and it resulting in him needing a wave here in the last 30 seconds, which he found.

    Slater, just...claiming victory by just 0.04 on the scoresheet.

    The eleven time world champion mark of 7.27 keeps him in the hunt for title number twelve.

    Slater will now take on Joel Parkinson in the last eight of the event and the significance of his victory wasn't lost on him.....

    SOUNDBITE: (English), Kelly Slater:

    "That was a world title here for me. If I lost that it was kind of out of my grasp - I need at least stay even at this event with Gabriel and not lose much ground on those guys. But I need to win, whatever, it's not easy. But that was a close one - not a bad way to end the round though I guess. A little luck going my way."

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