Kelly Slater

1.1. Childhood and Education

Robert Kelly Slater was born on February 11, 1972, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he continues to live. He is the son of Stephen Slater and Judy Moriarity and has two brothers, Sean and Stephen. Slater is of Syrian and Irish descent. He attended Cocoa Beach High School. Growing up near the water, with his father being a bait-store proprietor, Slater was introduced to surfing from a very young age.

1.2. Entry into Surfing

Slater began surfing at the age of five. By age 10, he was already winning age-division events along the Atlantic coast. In 1984, he clinched his first age-division United States championship title. His early amateur career saw him finish third in the junior division at the world amateur championships in England in 1986, and he went on to win the Pacific Cup junior championship in Australia the following year.

A pivotal moment in Slater's development occurred during a trip to Oahu, Hawaii in 1987. Faced with a giant northwest swell, he visited Makaha, where he encountered waves reaching an estimated 40 ft. Witnessing Brandon "Big Wave" Davis's calm demeanor while preparing for these massive waves deeply impacted Slater. He credits Davis's knowledge and poise in large surf as a significant influence on his career, recalling that he often thinks back to that moment when dropping into big waves. His favorite surf spots include Cloudbreak in Tavarua, Fiji; Pipeline in Hawaii; Teahupo'o in Tahiti; Trespass at Deerfield Beach Pier and Sebastian Inlet near his Florida home; and Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California. He is particularly known for his mastery of barrel riding.

2.1. Early Professional Years

Slater turned professional in 1990 and quickly made his mark by qualifying for the Bud Pro Tour, which was the World Surf League's (then ASP's) qualifying tour at the time. He immediately won his first contest on the tour, the Body Glove Surf Bout at Trestles, California. This success led him to qualify for the World Surf League Championship Tour for the 1991 season. Despite a challenging first year on the Championship Tour, where he finished 43rd out of 44 in the world rankings, Slater's performance significantly improved in 1992. He secured podium (top 3) finishes in three of his first five events and won his first professional tour event, the Rip Curl Pro in France. His victory that year at the prestigious Pipeline Masters in Hawaii secured his first World Title, making him the youngest surfing world champion ever at the age of 20. After finishing sixth in the 1993 rankings, Slater embarked on an extraordinary run, winning five consecutive world titles from 1994 to 1998, a period during which televised surfing events gained significant popularity. He took a break from competitive surfing at the end of 1998, returning to the world pro tour in 2002.

2.2. World Championship Titles

Kelly Slater holds the unparalleled record of 11 World Surf League (WSL) World Championship titles. These titles were earned in 1992, followed by an unprecedented five consecutive wins from 1994 to 1998. He continued his dominance with titles in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011. His 1992 victory made him the youngest male WSL champion, and his 2011 title, secured at age 39, made him the oldest male champion, showcasing his remarkable longevity and enduring skill. In 1997, upon winning his fifth world title, Slater surpassed Australian surfer Mark Richards to become the most successful male champion in the sport's history. His eleventh ASP world title was officially confirmed on November 6, 2011, at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco, following an initial miscalculation by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP).

2.3. Notable Event Victories

Slater has accumulated a total of 56 Championship Tour victories throughout his career. He has won the Laureus World Sports Award for Action Sportsperson of the Year four times, in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2012. In 2022, at the age of 49, Slater won his eighth Pipeline Masters title in Hawaii, 30 years after his first victory at the event, further cementing his status as the oldest active surfer on the World Surf League to achieve such a feat.

He made history in May 2005 during the final heat of the Billabong Pro Tahiti contest at Teahupo'o, becoming the first surfer to receive two perfect scores for a total of 20 out of 20 points under the ASP two-wave scoring system. He repeated this rare achievement in June 2013 during the quarter-finals at the Volcom Fiji Pro, earning two perfect ten-point waves, making him only the fourth person in history to do so. In 2019, at the Billabong Pipe Masters, at the age of 47, Slater also became the oldest surfer to execute a ten-point ride in World Surf League competition.

2.4. Career Statistics and Performance by Year

Slater's career has been characterized by consistent high-level performance across decades.

2013 Stats and Results

• World ranking: 2nd
• Points: 54150
• Event results:
  • Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia): 1st
  • Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia): 13th
  • Volcom Fiji Pro (Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji): 1st
  • Oakley Pro Bali (Keramas, Bali, Indonesia): 9th
  • Billabong Pro Teahupoo (Teahupo'o, Taiarapu, French Polynesia): 2nd
  • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii): 1st

  2012 Stats and Results

  • World ranking: 2nd
  • Points: 55450
  • Event results:
    • Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover (Gold Coast, Snapper Rocks, Australia): 5th
    • Rip Curl Pro presented by Ford Ranger (Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia): 2nd
    • Billabong Rio Pro (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): Injured (INJ)
    • Volcom Fiji Pro (Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji): 1st
    • Billabong Pro Tahiti (Teahupo'o, Tahiti): 13th
    • Hurley Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, US): 1st
    • Quiksilver Pro France (Hossegor-Landes, France): 1st
    • Rip Curl Pro (Peniche, Portugal): 13th
    • O'Neill Coldwater Classic Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, California, US): 9th
    • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii): 3rd

    2011 Stats and Results

    • World ranking: 2011 Champion
    • Points: 68100
    • Event results:
      • Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast (Snapper Rocks, Australia): 1st
      • Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach (Victoria, Australia): 5th
      • Billabong Rio Pro (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): 13th
      • Nike Pro US Open (Huntington Beach, California, US): 1st
      • Billabong Pro Teahupoo (Teahupo'o, Tahiti): 1st
      • Quiksilver Pro New York (Long Beach, New York, US): 2nd
      • Hurley Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, US): 1st
      • Quiksilver Pro France (Hossegor, France): 5th
      • Rip Curl Pro Portugal (Peniche, Portugal): 2nd
      • Rip Curl Search (Ocean Beach, San Francisco, US): 5th
      • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii): 3rd

      2010 Stats and Results

      • World ranking: 2010 Champion
      • Points: 69000
      • Event results:
        • Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast (Snapper Rocks, Australia): 9th
        • Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach (Australia): 1st
        • Hang Loose Pro (Santa Catarina, Brasil): 2nd
        • Billabong Pro (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa): 17th
        • Billabong Pro Teahupoo (Teahupo'o, Tahiti): 3rd
        • Hurley Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, US): 1st
        • Quiksilver Pro France (Hossegor, France): 2nd
        • Rip Curl Pro Portugal (Peniche, Portugal): 1st
        • Rip Curl Search 2010 (Middles Beach, Isabela, Puerto Rico): 1st
        • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii): 3rd

        2009 Stats and Results

        • World ranking: 6th
        • Points: 6136
        • Event results:
          • Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast (Snapper Rocks, Australia): 17th
          • Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach (Australia): 17th
          • Billabong Pro, Tahiti (Teahupo'o, Tahiti): 17th
          • Hang Loose Pro (Santa Catarina, Brasil): 1st
          • Billabong Pro (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa): 9th
          • Hurley Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, US): 3rd
          • Quiksilver Pro France (Hossegor, France): 5th
          • Billabong Pro, Mundaka (Mundaka, Spain): 3rd
          • Rip Curl Search (Peniche, Portugal): 17th
          • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii): 2nd

          2008 Stats and Results

          • World ranking: 2008 Champion
          • Points: 8832
          • Event results:
            • Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast (Snapper Rocks, Australia): 1st
            • Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach (Australia): 1st
            • Billabong Pro, Tahiti (Teahupo'o, Tahiti): 17th
            • Globe Pro, Fiji (Tavarua, Fiji): 1st
            • Billabong Pro, J-Bay (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa): 1st
            • Rip Curl Search (Bali, Indonesia): 17th
            • Boost Mobile Pro (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, US): 1st
            • Quiksilver Pro France (Hossegor, France): 2nd
            • Billabong Pro, Mundaka (Mundaka, Spain): 9th
            • Hang Loose Pro (Santa Catarina, Brasil): Did Not Start (DNS)
            • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii): 1st

            History of Wins
            Slater's remarkable career includes victories across numerous prestigious events worldwide.

            • 2022
              • Billabong Pro Pipeline (Oahu, Hawaii)
            • 2019
              • Triple Crown of Surfing (Specialty-Hawaii)
            • 2016
              • Billabong Pro (Teahupo'o, Tahiti) - WT
            • 2014
              • Volcom Pipe Pro (Pipeline, Hawaii) - QS 5-Stars
            • 2013
              • Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia) - WT
              • Volcom Fiji Pro (Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji) - WT
              • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii) - WT
            • 2012
              • Volcom Fiji Pro (Tavarua, Fiji) - WT
              • Hurley Pro (Trestles, California, US) - WT
              • Quiksilver Pro France (South West Coast, France) - WT
            • 2011
              • Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia) - WT
              • Billabong Pro (Teahupo'o, Tahiti) - WT
              • Hurley Pro (Trestles, California, US) - WT
              • Nike US Open of Surfing (Huntington Beach, California, US) - QS Prime
            • 2010
              • Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia) - WT
              • Hurley Pro (Trestles, California, US) - WT
              • Rip Curl Pro (Peniche, Portugal) - WT
              • Rip Curl Search (Middles, Isabela, Puerto Rico) - WT
            • 2009
              • Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro (Santa Catarina, Brasil) - WT
            • 2008
              • Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia) - WT
              • Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia) - WT
              • Globe Pro (Tavarua, Fiji) - WT
              • Billabong Pro (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa) - WT
              • Boost Mobile Pro (Trestles, California, US) - WT
              • Billabong Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii) - WT
            • 2007
              • Boost Mobile Pro (Trestles, California, US) - WT
            • 2006
              • Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia) - WT
              • Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia) - WT
            • 2005
              • Billabong Pro (Teahupo'o, Tahiti) - WT
              • Globe Pro Fiji (Tavarua, Fiji) - WT
              • Billabong Pro (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa) - WT
              • Boost Mobile Pro (Trestles, California, US) - WT
            • 2004
              • X-Games SRF The Game
              • Snickers Australian Open - QS
              • Energy Australia Open - QS
            • 2003
              • X-Games SRF The Game
              • Billabong Pro (Teahupo'o, Tahiti) - WT
              • Billabong Pro (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa) - WT
              • Billabong Pro (Mundaka, Spain) - WT
              • Nova Schin Festival (Santa Catarina, Brazil) - WT
            • 2002
              • Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau (Specialty-Hawaii)
            • 2000
              • Gotcha Pro Tahiti (Teahupo'o, Tahiti) - WT
            • 1999
              • Mountain Dew Pipeline Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii) - WT
            • 1998
              • Billabong Pro (Gold Coast, Australia) - WT
              • Triple Crown of Surfing (Specialty-Hawaii)
            • 1997
              • Coke Surf Classic (Manly Beach, Australia) - QS 6-Stars
              • Billabong Pro (Gold Coast, Australia) - WT
              • Tokushima Pro (Tokushima, Japan) - WT
              • Marui Pro (Chiba, Japan) - WT
              • Kaiser Summer Surf (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - WT
              • Grand Slam (Specialty-Australia)
              • Typhoon Lagoon Surf Challenge (Specialty-US)
            • 1996
              • Coke Surf Classic (Narrabeen, Australia)
              • Rip Curl Pro Saint Leu (Saint Leu, Réunion Island)
              • CSI presents Billabong Pro (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa)
              • U.S. Open of Surfing (Huntington Beach, California, US)
              • Rip Curl Pro Hossegor (Hossegor, France)
              • Quiksilver Surfmasters (Biarritz, France)
              • Chiemsee Gerry Lopez Pipe Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii)
              • Sud Ouest Trophee (Specialty-France)
              • Da Hui Backdoor Shootout (Specialty-Hawaii)
            • 1995
              • Quiksilver Pro (Grajagan, Indonesia)
              • Chiemsee Pipe Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii)
              • Triple Crown of Surfing (Specialty-Hawaii)
            • 1994
              • Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
              • Gotcha Lacanau Pro (Lacanau, France)
              • Chiemsee Gerry Lopez Pipe Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii)
              • Bud Surf Tour Seaside Reef (WQS-US)
              • Bud Surf Tour Huntington (WQS-US)
              • Sud Ouest Trophee (Specialty-France)
            • 1993
              • Marui Pro (Chiba, Japan)
            • 1992
              • Rip Curl Pro Landes (Hossegor, France)
              • Marui Pipe Masters (Pipeline, Hawaii)
            • 1990
              • Body Glove Surfbout (Trestles, California, US)

              Career Victories
              

              WCT Wins
              Year	Event	Venue	Country	Event Wins
              2022	Billabong Pro Pipeline	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	56
              2016	Billabong Pro Tahiti	Teahupo'o, Tahiti	French Polynesia	55
              2013	Billabong Pipe Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	54
              2013	Volcom Fiji Pro	Restaurants, Tavarua	Fiji	53
              2013	Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast	Gold Coast, Queensland	Australia	52
              2012	Quiksilver Pro France	Hossegor, Nouvelle-Aquitaine	France	51
              2012	Hurley Pro at Trestles	Trestles, California	United States	50
              2012	Volcom Fiji Pro	Cloudbreak, Tavarua	Fiji	49
              2011	Hurley Pro at Trestles	Trestles, California	United States	48
              2011	Billabong Pro Teahupoo	Teahupo'o, Tahiti	French Polynesia	47
              2011	Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast	Gold Coast, Queensland	Australia	46
              2010	Rip Curl Search	Middles Beach, Isabela	Puerto Rico	45
              2010	Rip Curl Pro Portugal	Supertubos, Peniche	Portugal	44
              2010	Hurley Pro at Trestles	Trestles, California	United States	43
              2010	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach	Bells Beach, Victoria	Australia	42
              2009	Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro	Imbituba, Santa Catarina	Brazil	41
              2008	Billabong Pipeline Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	40
              2008	Boost Mobile Pro	Trestles, California	United States	39
              2008	Billabong Pro J-Bay	Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cap	South Africa	38
              2008	Globe Fiji Pro	Namotu, Tavarua	Fiji	37
              2008	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach	Bells Beach, Victoria	Australia	36
              2008	Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast	Gold Coast, Queensland	Australia	35
              2007	Boost Mobile Pro	Trestles, California	United States	34
              2006	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach	Bells Beach, Victoria	Australia	33
              2006	Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast	Gold Coast, Queensland	Australia	32
              2005	Boost Mobile Pro	Trestles, California	United States	31
              2005	Billabong Pro J-Bay	Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cap	South Africa	30
              2005	Globe WCT Fiji	Namotu, Tavarua	Fiji	29
              2005	Billabong Pro Teahupoo	Teahupo'o, Tahiti	French Polynesia	28
              2003	Nova Schin Festival	Florianópolis, Santa Catarina	Brazil	27
              2003	Billabong Pro Mundaka	Mundaka, Euskadi	Spain	26
              2003	Billabong Pro J-Bay	Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cap	South Africa	25
              2003	Billabong Pro Teahupoo	Teahupo'o, Tahiti	French Polynesia	24
              2000	Gotcha Pro Tahiti	Teahupo'o, Tahiti	French Polynesia	23
              1999	Mountain Dew Pipe Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	22
              1998	Billabong Pro	Gold Coast, Queensland	Australia	21
              1997	Kaiser Summer Surf	Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro	Brazil	20
              1997	Marui Pro	Torami Beach, Chiba	Japan	19
              1997	Tokushima Pro	Tokushima	Japan	18
              1997	Billabong Pro	Gold Coast, Queensland	Australia	17
              1997	Coke Surf Classic	Narrabeen, New South Wales	Australia	16
              1996	Chiemsee Pipe Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	15
              1996	Quiksilver Surf masters	Lacanau Océan, Nouvelle-Aquitaine	France	14
              1996	Rip Curl Pro	Hossegor, Landes	France	13
              1996	US Open	Huntington Beach, California	United States	12
              1996	Billabong Pro	Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cap	South Africa	11
              1996	Rip Curl Pro Saint Leu	St. Leu, Réunion Island	Réunion	10
              1996	Coke Surf Classic	Narrabeen, New South Wales	Australia	9
              1995	Chiemsee Pipe Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	8
              1995	Quiksilver Pro	G-Land, Banyuwangi	Indonesia	7
              1994	Chiemsee Pipe Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	6
              1994	Gotcha Lacanau Pro	Lacanau, Gironde	France	5
              1994	Rip Curl Pro	Bells Beach, Victoria	Australia	4
              1993	Marui Pro	Hebara Beach, Chiba	Japan	3
              1992	Marui Pipemasters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu	Hawaii	2
              1992	Rip Curl Pro Landes	Hossegor, Nouvelle-Aquitaine	France	1
              WQS Wins
              Year	Event	Venue	Country	Event Wins
              2011	US Open of Surfing	Huntington Beach, California	United States	6
              2004	Energy Australian Open	Newcastle, New South Wales	Australia	5
              2004	Snickers Australian Open	Sydney	Australia	4
              1994	Bud Surf Tour	Huntington Beach, California	United States	3
              1994	Bud Surf Tour	Seaside Reef, California	United States	2
              1990	Body Glove Surf Bout	Trestles, California	United States	1

              
              
              Wins by Country
              

              Nation	Stops Won	Years
              Australia	12	1994, 1996, 1997, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2006, 2008, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013
              United States	11	1990, 1994, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2011, 2012
              Hawaii	8	1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2008, 2013, 2022
              France	6	1992, 1994, 1996, 1996, 1996, 2012
              French Polynesia (Tahiti)	5	2000, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2016
              Fiji	4	2005, 2008, 2012, 2013
              South Africa	4	1996, 2003, 2005, 2008
              Brazil	3	1997, 2003, 2009
              Japan	3	1993, 1997, 1997
              Portugal	1	2010
              Puerto Rico	1	2010
              Spain	1	2003
              Réunion	1	1996
              Indonesia	1	1995

2.5. Sponsors and Equipment

Since 1990, Kelly Slater was primarily sponsored by the surfwear giant Quiksilver until his departure on April 1, 2014. Historically, he rode Channel Islands Surfboards equipped with his signature series of FCS fins. In 2014, Slater acquired Firewire Surfboards, and in 2015, he was seen riding unlabelled Firewire boards. In 2016, Slater released his own line of boards under the brand Slater Designs. As of August 2017, there are four Slater Designs models in the Firewire range: the Gamma, Cymatic, Omni, and Sci-fi.

After leaving Quiksilver, Slater collaborated with Kering to establish Outerknown, an eco-friendly and sustainable apparel company. Outerknown focuses on using recycled materials and sustainable production practices, reflecting Slater's commitment to environmentalism.

3.1. Media and Public Appearances

Slater gained broader public recognition through his recurring role as Jimmy Slade on seven episodes of the popular television show Baywatch in the early 1990s. He has also appeared in an episode of the reality show The Girls Next Door, and lent his voice as a surfer in two episodes of Lilo & Stitch: The Series. More recently, he has featured in The Ultimate Surfer (in "Kelly-vision" cameos), Kelly Slater: Lost Tapes (11 episodes, 2022), and the documentary series Make or Break (2 seasons, 2022-2023).

Slater has starred in numerous surf films throughout his career, including Surfers - The Movie (1990), Kelly Slater in Black and White (1991), Momentum 1 (1992), Focus (1994), Endless Summer II (1994), Factory Seconds (1995), Momentum 2 (1996), Good Times (1996), Kelly Slater in Kolor (1997), The Show (1997), Loose Change (1999), Hit & Run (2000), Thicker than Water (2000), September Sessions (2002), Step into Liquid (2003), Campaign 1 (2003), Riding Giants (2004), Doped Youth 'Groovy Avalon' (2004), Young Guns 1, 2 & 3 (2004-2008), Campaign 2 (2005), Burn (2005), Letting Go (2006), Down the Barrel (2007), Bra Boys: Blood is Thicker than Water (2007), Bustin' Down the Door (2008), One Track Mind (2008), Kelly Slater Letting Go (2008), Waveriders (2008), The Ocean (2008), A Fly in the Champagne (2009), Cloud 9 (2009), Keep Surfing (2009), Ultimate Wave Tahiti (2010), Fighting Fear (2011), Wave Warriors 3, View from a Blue Moon (2015), Andy Irons: Kissed by God (2018), and Momentum Generation (2018).

In the music industry, Slater plays guitar and ukulele and has performed with musicians like Jack Johnson and Angus Stone. In the mid-1990s, he formed the band The Surfers with Rob Machado and Peter King, releasing an album titled Songs from the Pipe in 1998, a reference to the famous surf spot Pipeline in Hawaii. He toured Australia with the band, performing at venues including the Opera House and Parliament House. He performed with Ben Harper in Santa Barbara in 2006 and played Rockin' in the Free World with Pearl Jam in San Diego in 2006. In 1999, Slater also appeared in the music video for Garbage singer Shirley Manson's single "You Look So Fine," portraying a man rescued by Manson after being washed ashore.

Slater has also ventured into the video game industry. He was a playable character in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (2001) and had his own game, Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision in 2002. He also competed in the X-Games in 2003 and 2004, winning back-to-back gold medals in the surfing category.

3.2. Business Ventures

Slater has initiated and invested in several business ventures that align with his personal interests and values. In 2014, following his departure from Quiksilver, he co-founded Outerknown, an apparel company dedicated to sustainable and eco-friendly production practices, often using recycled materials.

In the same year, 2014, Slater launched the beverage company Purps, in collaboration with RVCA founder Pat Tenore and Dr. Chris Schaumburg. Since 2013, he has also served as a brand ambassador for The Chia Company, an Australian-based company.

A significant part of Slater's business endeavors has been his involvement in the development of artificial wave technology. For ten years, he conducted an "experiment" to create a perfect inland wave pool in inland California. This wave was modeled after a combination of Lower Trestles in California, a tubing wave in Oahu, Hawaii, and a secret right-hand wave in Micronesia in the Marshall Islands. The project, known as the Kelly Slater Wave Company (KSWC), was successful, attracting considerable attention in the surfing world due to the wave's perfect shape and speed. In 2016, the World Surf League (WSL) acquired a majority stake in KSWC for an undisclosed sum.

The WSL subsequently held a test event for professional surfers, including Filipe Toledo, Mick Fanning, Kanoa Igarashi, and Gabriel Medina, at the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California, on September 19, 2017. The Surf Ranch also hosted the WSL Founders Cup on May 5-6, 2018, featuring teams from the United States, Brazil, Australia, Europe, and the World, composed of male and female surfers from the WSL Championship Tour. The facility in Lemoore, California, remains private and exclusive.

There were also plans to develop Surf Ranch Florida, a man-made surfing lake in Palm Beach County, Florida. County commissioners unanimously approved evaluation plans for the proposed surf facility in 2017. Project leader Brian Waxman stated that the WSL considered bringing the wave lake to Florida due to its favorable weather and history of world-class surfers. The project would have encompassed an 80 acre ^{(80 acre)} lot east of Jupiter Farms, near the Pine Glades natural area. Despite acquiring the property for 6.50 M USD in November 2017, the WSL announced in 2019 that plans for this location were canceled due to "unforeseen challenges" related to an unexpectedly high groundwater table elevation.

Another proposed project is Coral Mountain, a 200.00 M USD complex planned for 400 acre ^{(400 acre)} in La Quinta, California. This complex would include a hotel and housing built around a surfing basin created by Kelly Slater Wave Co. In 2024, Slater also founded and launched Freaks of Nature, a skincare company primarily focused on sunscreen.

3.3. Environmentalism and Philanthropy

Kelly Slater is a vocal advocate for sustainable and clean living. He is actively involved in fundraising and serves as a spokesperson for suicide prevention awareness. He has participated in celebrity events for Surfers Against Suicide, stating that he has lost friends to suicide and believes it is a preventable tragedy. He emphasizes the importance of non-profit organizations focused solely on helping those in dark places.

Slater is deeply passionate about preserving oceans globally and protecting temperate reefs in California through his association with Reef Check. He also serves on the Ocean Advocacy Advisory Board of the ocean conservation organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

In February 2017, following eight shark-related fatalities over six years on Réunion, Slater and fellow competitive surfer Jérémy Florès publicly called for a daily cull of bull sharks by French authorities. This proposal drew criticism from environmentalists, with Ken Collins of the University of Southampton describing it as "insane."

In recognition of his achievements and role as an ambassador for surfing, the United States House of Representatives honored Slater on May 8, 2010, with H. Res. 792, citing his "outstanding and unprecedented achievements in the world of surfing and for being an ambassador of the sport and excellent role model." This resolution, sponsored by Florida representative Bill Posey, passed without objection.

4.1. Hobbies and Interests

Beyond surfing, Kelly Slater is an avid golfer and practices the martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He cites three-time WSL champion Tom Curren as his biggest surfing inspiration, noting that Curren was the first American surfer to win a World Title and that Kelly had the chance to compete against him when he became a full-time tour competitor in 1991. Big wave surfers Todd Chesser and Brock Little also served as mentors to him during his teenage years.

4.2. Relationships and Family

Slater's personal relationships have included dating actress and model Pamela Anderson for several years in the early 1990s, whom he met on the set of Baywatch. He was also in relationships with supermodel Gisele Bündchen from 2005 to 2006, and actress Cameron Diaz in 2007.

Slater has a daughter named Taylor, born in 1996, from a previous relationship with Tamara Mitchell. His long-term girlfriend is Kalani Miller. The couple confirmed they had a baby together prior to him surfing in the Fiji Pro in August.