Surfing giant Kelly Slater, an 11-time World Surf League champion, has announced he will end his glittering career next year.
“My basic plan is to get myself really healthy, again, and get ready for April next year. And next year will be my last year on tour – and just be done with it,” the 46-year-old said during the Corona Open J-Bay broadcast.
Slater has won 55 tour titles and 11 world crowns since his first in 1992. He’s been the youngest world champion, aged 20, and the oldest at the age of 39.
Slater said the seriousness of his foot injury was initially hard to swallow, but was “pretty minor in the scope of life”.
“I went through my whole career only ever missing a single event at a time from injuries, I never had a long period of time out. To have an injury at this point instead of when I was 22 is a blessing.”
The 46-year-old is contesting the World Surf League event at Jeffreys Bay this week. He’s still recuperating from a broken foot that has given him hell for a year now. He wants to do one full lap of the competition globe before walking away.
> Shiuly Rina
Legend Kelly Slater to Retire from His Career in Surfing in 2019
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