An Ode To The Goat: Kelly Slater's Tahiti Takeover Remains One Of Hgreatest Performances. Ever

I would sit on the back of the priority and might go to sleep. He's only getting older. He's awesome. He's the GOAT. He's the best to ever do it. Especially at this wave. He's won this event 2000, 2003, 2005, 2011, and 2016. We think to people who have special connections with waves, and Kelly has a special connection here at CHART. To me it's very obvious that Kelly Slater gets the wild card. He's an 11-song world champion. He's won every event on the schedule. Holds every record in the sport. I mean, we're talking about the GOAT here. He is not just willing to enter this arena again. He's gonna go all out. It's crazy to think that Kelly Slater has something to prove. We could be witnessing one of the best heats of all time. The judges scored that a perfect 10-point ride. It's not about longevity anymore. This is a superhuman that is willing to put himself in the most demanding area of surfing and put on the greatest performance of his life. Ah, Maeva, welcome to the end of the road. Looks like we have some exciting surfing in front of us. Kelly Slater, 54 years old. Growing up against one of the best to ever do it, Gabriel Medina. This heat, this heat is just everything. A great time to be tuning in to professional surfing. A giant clash between two of the greats going head-to-head. Kelly Slater getting a quick start on Gabriel Medina. And let's go, the rail and a rare wipeout from Slater. Fireworks all ready to kick things off. Gabriel Medina on the next one. Cleaner lines, staying wide open. Arm bars to slow down and find the exit. Advantage to Gabe on the opening exchange of this 40-minute clash. Is Gabriel Medina gonna lock back into his Darth Vader Medina ways and just get into Kelly or is Kelly just gonna go guru mode? It's the rematch of the 2014 final. Gabe's had Kelly's number, 8-2 in Gabe's favor. You look at Gabriel Medina's stats at Chopo, he's the best to ever do it out here in a contest. Gabriel Medina, plenty of room to stand straight up in that pit. Water drawing off the reef, 11-time world champ grabs the rail, controls this one. Kelly gets to completion, kicks out way ahead of Medina to get priority again. And it's a win-win, gets his best wave so far with priority sitting out the back now. It's a special moment happening right in front of us and everyone on tour is sitting sidelined to watch this spectacle. And here's a heavy wave, oh my gosh! Geez, well I guess you could say he's not scared and he's sending it. I'm going to be stoked if I win so I just stand up and jump. It is so crazy that Kelly's back out in the back swimming without a board. He's almost with reckless advantage, I've got Gabe, I'm swinging for 10s right now. I just started doing a little breathing exercises and calming down and then I would sit out the back with priority and go with him. And letting go of the rail, surviving a win in the channel. He's got the eyes of a jazz man that wants to win. And it looks like he's doing just that. Absolute greatness in front of our eyes. Almost maxing out his scale, 9.73. And we have the biggest number of the event so far. Kelly Slater has put Gabriel Medina in combo. He's going into like a goat mode. Priority with Kelly, he will commit. Bottom drops out, controls this one with grace. Styling through, clutching that rail and getting blown out. He will salute the crowd. You're seeing a magic man just doing what he does best. Vintage goat type acts happening in front of our eyes at 54 years of age. Dealing with several wipeouts, broken board and showing that he's more ready than ever to compete in this arena. Obviously, you see a lot of people doubting me or that they should have gone to a local wildcard. Even after all this time, yeah, I have something to prove. I need to go out and show that it went to the right guy. And I think I proved myself there. One of those magical performances that I honestly believe goes at the top of everything he's accomplished in his entire career.