And says if Erin Brooks was there she’d wipe the floor with everybody!
The most authoritative voice in surfing, newly retired multi-world champ Kelly Slater, is the type of man that fattens on attention and he has let no one down today with his bold predictions for the 2025 world titles, which will be decided, likely, this Tuesday in epic six-foot surf.
Slater, who is fifty-three, made the calls on the Instagram account of his old bandmate and notable surf personality Peter King. Both are currently on vacation on Tavarua, the base for WSL Finals Day, which will be completed at the outer reef Cloudbreak.
Slater, said, well, after her performance at Teahupoo y’can’t swing past Molly Picklum for the gals but in the men, and here came words that will arouse the defensiveness and rage of thousands of Brazilian fans: Jack Robinson is gonna beat Yago Dora.
“Man, we might have one of those come-from-behind stories, a Jack and Yago final,” says Kelly. “Jack is more comfortable when it’s big and a lot of energy. That’s in Jack’s wheelhouse. I think he’s got the edge in barrel-riding over Yago.”
If the expected swell veers off course and the waves are smaller than he supposes, Slater says Yago will win by virtue of the dynamic nature of his surfing.
Jordy, says Slater is hungry and knows it’s his last shot at a crown and Griff won last time the tour was at Cloudbreak so, dang, who knows.
Interestingly, Slater says the gals would be a different game if the Canadian teenager Erin Brooks, who won the event as a wildcard, was in the mix.
“There would be some destruction going on,” says Slater. “She’s so good out here. She knows the wave well and her surf style on her forehand fits the wave good. But she also has no fear when it gets big. She’d be comfortable with that big energy.”
More importantly, he says, “I never surf in the morning but my goal is to be the first in the water on that big day. It’s gonna be pumping.”
If Jackie wins, it’ll be the first men’s champ from Australia in a dozen years, Mick Fanning last scooping up the jewels in 2013.
