Team News

Slater with Confirmed Foot Injury by ASL

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 April, 2010 : - - Burleigh Heads, Queensland/Australia - Australia's Surfing Life (ASL) Magazine is reporting that former nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 38, was rushed to Melbourne hospital yesterday after possibly breaking his foot in a warm-up surf at Bells Beach. Since then, Quiksilver Team Manager Stephen "Belly" Bell has confirmed no broken bones, but an ankle injury with possible ligament damage.

Slater surfered and won against rookie sensation Dusty Payne (HAW), 21, in his Round 3 heat today. Watch the Heat on Demand

Today's Heat: Slater V Payne  in TV quality (slow link)

Full story at ASL

Kelly Slater speaks with Jed Smith of Stab Magazine: Injury not enough to stop him

An injury suffered by Kelly Slater during a free surf prior to round three does not look as though it will derail his world title aspirations in 2010.Though the champ admits it's "probably not great timing" for his bid to build momentum for a title assault.

Kelly told Stab it was not his ankle (my bad) but "where his big toe meets the foot" that he injured after being "bounced" while attempting an aerial at Bells Beach the day prior to his round three clash with Hawaiian Dusty Payne.

He was taken to Melbourne hospital shortly after where scans revealed there were no breaks in the region. Slater said following his win over Dusty he “thinks he tore some stuff,” but that the injury was caused by an impact rather than "a stretching out."

The mishap didn’t appear to affect his performance. The champ was sharp despite a fast and sectiony Winkipop, a wavescape that would put undue pressure on a surfer’s ability to pivot on his foot and toes. Kelly connected the dots with trademark critical flair, racking up two sevens to beat his Hawaiian opponent, who, despite collecting a nine plus ride with a spectacular fin throw, couldn’t find a sufficient back up score.

Kelly did say, however, he required a local anaesthetic to surf in the heat and will likely require another to surf again in the event.

“No pain no gain,” he told the webcast, before saying he could feel the ankle swelling up as the interview was taking place. And he was willing to grit his teeth to avoid a 17th. He will ice the ankle over night as well as rub Arnica (a healing ointment from the complimentary medicine tradition) into it, though said he was unsure what affect it would have on his title charge until it begins healing. "I don't think it's as serious as Joel's was," he told Stab. "I'm still in [the race]"

More at Stab Mag

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