They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that clearly doesn’t apply to Kelly Slater.
The 46-year-old surfing legend pulled off an unbelievable recovery during a ride at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii, somehow getting back onto his board after falling off mid-barrel.
The manoeuvre, in a match-up against Brazil’s Filipe Toledo, was so remarkable that even Slater himself seemed surprised that he had pulled it off as he raised his arms to accept the cheers of the crowd.
And it was further proof for many that the 11-time world surfing champion is the greatest of all time.
This guy is a freaking wizard. How do you do this @kellyslater !?!?! #GOAT https://t.co/RE6bcyj6G4
— Michael Yani (@Themichaelyani) December 17, 2018
U gotta be 11 time world champion to pull this out https://t.co/913cWq8z8O
— Yohana Menezes (@yohanamenezes_) December 17, 2018
Why Kelly Slater is the greatest surfer ever: falls off his board in the middle of a barrel, and somehow gets back on it and rides out the wave. How is this even possible? https://t.co/oNxIqirH4s
— Trevor A. Branch (@TrevorABranch) December 17, 2018
In an Instagram post, Slater said: “Well, that was interesting. I thought I just fell straight onto my belly and bodyboarded out. Didn’t realize I had to grab for it! Haha.”
To see if Slater can pull off more magic when he goes in the semi-finals of the Masters, check out the World Surf League Facebook page, where the event is streaming live.