World's Greatest Athlete - Ever

You sure as hell did! You owe Shiffrin and the entire ski racing world an apology. She was so distracted by your comment of her greatness that she skied out 5 seconds into her first run in the slalom as well.

She is the best slalom racer that has ever raced - male or female - but couldn't make five turns yesterday. I don't think she hooked a tip - which is completely understandable in slalom given the tiny margin for error - I think she just screwed up. After her fall in the GS, she prophesied this by saying "I will never get over that (mistake)"

 

I like Shiffrin and fully expect her to break Vonn's record but once again, you speak blasphemy with the "best ever". Shiffrin couldn't carry Stenmark's boot bag and that won't change if Shiffrin won every race the next 5 years.

 

Why is that? Stenmark was great - but why isn't someone who wins more World Cup races even greaterer?

 

Irrelevant....Rachel Atherto has 37 career WC wins while Minnaar has 23. You going to try and tell me that she is a better athlete or a better anything on a bike? Same thing applies w/ Stenmark vs Shiffrin. Stenmark competed against much tougher competition and head to head in the prime, you know who would wins by SECONDS every time. Now if you want to say Shiffrin will be the most "successful" skier when (not if) she surpasses Stenmark, I'll get on board.

 

Current Shiffrin at her best would crush Stenmark at his best. But that’s primarily because of equipment. Those 1980s era 205 cm Elans are no match for the current 155 Atomics. And let’s not forget what Rapidgates did to the sport AFTER Stenmark.

 

What did you all do to celebrate Slater's 50th birthday yesterday?

He is "Slated" to compete in the Sunset Pro which was supposed to start today. Waves are a little small for their tastes (7' and lumpy) so they delayed until Tuesday when it's supposed to be 15'! Kelly isn't a huge fan of Sunset, so who knows how his first contest as a 50 year-old will go. Tune in at worldsurfleague.com.

 

I uploaded my vaccination info...

 

He is committing to the full tour this year. With some of the stops this year he has a good chance of doing well. Get him to trestles and the Brazilian air game is going to take him out but the old man has a chance at Chopes and g land.

 

Kelly has hinted that he's not vaccinated, so he may have trouble getting into Australia or New Zealand. Think Djokovic.

After his win at Pipe, he said he is not sure if he will do any more events. He said "I will have to have a talk with myself." I do see him on the heat list for Sunset.

As for the air game - yeah - Kelly can still throw some impressive above-the-lip moves, but not with the amplitude of the Brazilians (and Aussies). Bells, J-Bay and Trestles will require the full arsenal, right? Sunset is power carving (and maybe some barrels inside?). Expect to see Kai Lenny make 15' (think 20 plus) Sunset his own Trestles-style playground while others are just trying to get a good cutback. He's a completely different beast.

 

Friday the WSL had a story with him stating he is going to do all the events. I’m not sure he ever said his vax status but did comment about the mandate. Do I see him doing well, yes but not a world tittle. With Medina out Toledo and Italo are waiting to snag that top spot.

On the woman’s side Carissa is my pick for a back to back to back title. She is so stinking good and just that next level above the others. Marks and Tati have that back side attack but don’t see them overtaking her power carves.

 

https://www.theinertia.com/surf/kelly-slater-to-the-surfing-world-ill-see-you-in-australia/

Slater might go for 12.

 

And because you are all dying to know how Slater's defense of the yellow leader's jersey is going after winning Pipeline...

He lost it at Sunset. It's well documented that Sunset is very low on the list of Kelly's favorite waves, so it was unlikely that he would do well there. And he didn't. He had a few incredible rides, but not enough.

He lost his first heat and was relegated to the elimination round. Barely survived the elimination round, then in the round of 32 he was hit with a bizarre interference penalty against a surfer who wasn't even in his heat (John John). So that meant his second wave would be a zero no matter what he did. Over before it really started. Kelly was up and riding a really nice wave, then John John (surfing in a different heat) decided he wanted that wave so he took off in the whitewash ahead of KS. Kelly saw him coming and quickly got off the wave before JJF even stood up - but rules is rules and he crossed in front of JJF when JJF had priority. Kelly accepted it gracefully.

On to Portugal.

Oh and HB's own Kanoa Igarashi is in 2nd overall after getting into the quarterfinals at Pipe and finishing 2nd at Sunset.

But this isn't the surfing update thread, it's the World's Greatest Athlete Ever thread. And I still stand by my assessment.