Kelly Slater now looks to reign in Spain

Thank Australia's Adrian Buchan, pictured above, for prolonging the inevitable.

The ninth-ranked ASP World Tour surfer narrowly defeated top-ranked Kelly Slater in today's final of the Quiksilver Pro France.

That means Slater, who needed a victory, will have to wait until the next contest in Spain to try to claim a ninth world title.

With waves running three to four feet at Les Bourdaines in Hossegor, Buchan prevailed in a 30-minute heat that utilizes a best-two-waves format, 15.74 to 15.16.

“I can’t believe it,” he said afterward. “To have Kelly in the final and beat Kelly, I am speechless. You know, he is my hero and I have watched him this year win five events and all throughout the year he has just been phenomenal and he sets the bar so high for all of us guys, I am really thankful that surfing has got such a custodian."

Too bad for Slater, 36, who probably was hoping to take a break from competition. At least the Billabong Pro Mundaka, which could begin as early as Monday, is close by.

And so much for second-ranked Taj Burrow's attempt to close the points gap. Burrow, another Australian, lost in Round 4 to Ventura's Dane Reynolds and left with just enough points to carry the race across the border into Spain.

But Slater winning a ninth title — nobody else has won more than four in the history of the Assn. of Surfing Professionals—remains a mere formality. He's almost sure to reign in Spain and afterward will have little reason to finish out the year, although he loves surfing in the season-ending Pipeline Masters on Oahu's North Shore.

Said a nonchalant Slater afterward, in reference to a late wave on which he scored a 6.73 to fall just short of catching Buchan:

“It’s cool that it came down to a wave in the end, at least it made it interesting. Truth is though, Ace was more in sync with it. He got those open face ones and did the turns. I had one wave I surfed pretty good on that I knew was going to get me back in it. Then I just needed a chance in the end but there wasn’t quite enough time.”

--Pete Thomas

Caption: Australia's Adrian Buchan (top photo) had just enough form to edge the high-flying Kelly Slater in the final of the Quiksilver Pro France, and carry the world title race to Spain. Photos by ASP Cestari/Covered Images

Comments

[slater hater]

Slater rules and the ausies drool

[peter amor]

Kelly Slater for next US Prsident..

[slater lover]

Kelly Slater for King of the World, he's got my vote.