His event stats then read: 3rd in the Billabong Pro Tahiti; a no show at The Globe WCT Fiji; 5th in the Rip Curl Pro Search, 3rd Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, 2nd Boost Mobile Pro, California; 3rd Quiksilver Pro France; and now 2nd here in the Billabong Pro Mundaka.
And while Burrow – who had a second to Slater in the opening event and again came in at second to Fanning at Jeffereys Bay – at times looked to be closing in on the front runner, Slater has held onto the top slot all year.
Slater admitted that this year has probably been his best consistency-wise since he claimed his first title way back in 1992.
“This has definitely been my most consistent year ever,” said Slater directly after claiming the title after he won over Parkinson in the Billabong Pro Mundaka semifinals. “I’ve been much more relaxed this year. I’ve just been cruising and having fun and haven’t put so much pressure on myself.”
After claiming six world crowns in the ’90s Slater drifted into semi-retirement in 1999.
He then returned to the Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour in 2001 and after an incredible duel with former three-time champion Andy Irons (HAW) Slater reclaimed the crown in 2005.
And after such an emotionally draining win last year, the 34-year-old Floridian hinted that he may again look to retire in 2006.
At the beginning of the year Slater was still not committed to completing the whole tour.
Slater claimed that after the two wins in the opening events he had found new momentum and after a rib injury held him out of the Globe WCT in Fiji, he began to muster for an all out assault.
“I was almost going to retire this year,” said Slater. “And then I won on the Gold Coast and then at Bells and kept going. I tore a rib cartilage at Bells, and then I hit the same spot with my board in Tahiti. That meant that I missed Fiji, which probably kept my motivation going into the next event in Mexico. That made me more focused, and I had the advantage of competing in one less event than the other guys but still had the ratings lead, so I could afford to relax and take things as they came.”
