Gold Coast, Australia (Wednesday 9th March, 2011): Gold Coast, Australia (Wednesday 9th March, 2011): KELLY SLATER (USA) has once again etched his name into the surfing record books by becoming the first man to win three Quiksilver Pro titles at Snapper Rocks today.
Despite winning the opening ASP World Title world event of the year, Slater has refused to say whether or not he'll pursue a quest for an 11th world crown.
Slater defeated defending Quiksilver Pro champion Burrow from Western Australia 11.20 to 10.17 in one of the lowest-scoring finals ever seen at Snapper Rocks.
Every time Slater has won this event he has gone on to win the world title, but even that slice of history didn't tempt him.
After a thrilling four days of surfing, the final was an anticlimactic affair with the famous Gold Coast point break failing to turn on for the 35-minute showdown. Thirty-nine year-old Slater survived a late fight back from Burrow, showing his experience by surfing the smarter heat in the testing 1.5m waves at the world famous Gold Coast pointbreak.
Slater opened quickly with a 5.00, before soon consolidating his score with a 5.27.The commanding lead put Burrow under pressure from the start of the 35-minute decider.
After surging into the final the form surfer of the event, Burrow grew frustrated and uncharacteristically, fell on many of his waves. Burrow launched a late fight back, posting the best single-wave score of the heat in the dying minutes with a 7.17.
Burrow said he couldn't buy out a wave in the final.
Slater added another 5.93 to his tally and in the end the clock proved his enemy for Burrow. Slater was able to hang on with a combined two-wave score of 11.20 to Burrow's 10.17.
Slater adds the 2011 crown to his 2006 and 2008 Gold Coast titles.
Slater claimed 10,000 ratings points and a US$75,000 winner's cheque, as well as the world NO.1 ranking heading into the second event of the ASP World Tour season, which kicks off at Bells Beach in Victoria on April 19.
Burrow picked up 8000 ratings points and US$30,000 for second place.
Portugal's Tiago Pires finished with an equal third-place finish after falling to Slater 16.77 to 8.20 in the semi-finals. Pires was not underestimated by eventual winner Slater who said the Eruopean surfer was one of the most dangerous o tour.
South African Jordy Smith was the other third-place finisher after he was beaten by Burrow in the second semi-final 17.56 to 11.40. The now world no.3 said it was disappointing not to make the final but still a good start to the 2011 season.
American tour rookie BRETT SIMPSON (USA) enjoyed a sensational run in his opening ASP World Title event eliminated from the quarterfinals of the Quiksilver Pro by TAJ BURROW (AUS). The twenty-six year old, from Huntington Beach, finished equal fifth to now be ranked at no.5 in the world.
The two-time US Open Champion said he was happy with the result and determined to make his mark on the international surfing arena,
Brazilian rookie ALEJO MUNIZ finished equal fifth overall after he was eliminated by South African sensation JORDY SMITH (ZAF). The tour youngest surfer impressed all throughout the opening ASP World Title event at Australia's Snapper Rocks to now be ranked at no.5 in the world.
Hawaii's, DUSTY PAYNE (Maui) was eliminated from the Quiksilver Pro quarter finals by ten-time world champion KELLY SLATER (USA). The 22 year-old failed to find his earlier event form to be left requiring a two wave scoring combination. The result has the progressive surfer commencing the 2011 season with a solid result to be now ranked at no.5 in the world.
Australia's MATT WILKINSON (AUS) narrowly eliminated in the dying seconds of his heat by Tiago Pires from Portugal (14.64 to 14.40). The goofy footer finishing equal fifth overall -- the best result of his career -- to now be ranked at no.5 in the world.
