This now throws an interesting spin on the ratings as Slater, on 5342 points, has lengthened his lead while Irons, on 4596 points, has leapt past Trent Munro (AUS) who now sits in third on 4286 points and Mick Fanning (AUS) who sits in fourth on 4230 points.
It was an unprecedented occasion as it was the first time the two champs had met in a man on man final and all on hand to witness the event, either live online or at the beach, were treated to some of the most phenomenal surfing ever seen with both surfers pulling no punches in the 30 minute battle.
Irons began strongly when he linked together some hideously powerful rail turns on a sizable wall to score an 8.33 for his opening ride. This in turn forced Slater, who stumbled on his first couple of rides into “playing catchups” for the rest of final.
Slater was by far the standout surfer of the event notching up an astonishing 19.30 to take down Jake Paterson (AUS) in round four and an even better 19.50, (which included a perfect 10 point ride) against Bede Durbidge (AUS) in his quarter final. Yet it looked as though Irons had his measure in the final right up until 35 seconds remained.
With the eager crowd roaring, a 1.5 metre wave miraculously appeared for Slater and he took to it with gusto, aggressively attacking the critical section of the wave, executing five tightly rounded turns.
Needing a 9.23 to overtake Irons all waited anxiously after the final bell for the scores to be announced. Irons believed he had victory, but Slater’s arms quickly went skyward when a 9.50 was shouted over the PA and the crowd instantly went into a deafening cheer.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had my back to the wall like that in a final,” said Slater proudly clutching the winner’s trophy. “To get one up against Andy is a real feat, he’s just been on it for so many years now and we’ve had a number of heats but I don’t think I’ve beaten him yet. It’s a little bit of redemption to get back at him!”
Speaking on the wave that he rode to victory Slater was awestruck by the occasion.
“I’m taking off and I’m hearing everyone scream, I knew that was the wave and it wasn’t going to be the one behind it,” he said. “It had the right timing and the right look to it and it was all a bit blurred at this point. I remember my last floater, I landed it, kind of came off, laid back and stood back up in the white water but I don’t know if the judges could see me or not. It was a special wave at a special time and to get that one right at the end made it even better.”
Going into the second half of the year Slater’s focus on grabbing another Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour crown is highly evident.
“I want to win five or six events this year,” he continued. I’m pushing for that and if I can win one more event I think I’ll put myself in a really good position.”
Irons who left it to the final to show his wares today was obviously disappointed with the last minute loss but was gracious in defeat taking pride in the fact that at the half-way mark of the season he still has a solid chance of retaining his world crown.
“It hurts,” he said. “I was on the beach at the end doing the countdown myself and I was thinking, oh my god here comes a wave. It’s one thing to blow a final but to have it so close leaves a pretty sour feeling.”
Irons took a wave just minutes before the end of the final which scored an 8.23 and he was hopeful that he had driven the stake right into Slater – but it wasn’t to be.
“On my last wave if I wasn’t gonna go, he was gonna go and who knows he might have got a better score so it’s a tough call,” said Irons. “I went, I bettered my score but he just waited patiently. Kelly’s won six world titles and he hasn’t done that by fluke. He’s a really good competitor and he’s definitely the guy to beat.
“There’s a lot of events left, I’ve had a good year with two seconds, a fifth and a bunch of ninths. I think if Kelly wasn’t on the tour I’d be right up there so all I can say is darn him and I look forward to the next event and hopefully I’ll get on a roll from there.”
