SURFING'S GREATEST RIVALRY: KELLY SLATER x SHANE BESCHEN

1996. The rivalry reached fever pitch at the opening horn of the US Open final. Surf historians are spilt down the middle: Was Kelly Slater's paddle around interference the greatest tactical move ever, or did he do Shane Bexchen dirty? Drop your opinion in the comments.
They were locked into a world title race against each other, and to call this merely a rivalry would be a major understatement. It is in fact the greatest rivalry ever because besides the title races and highest heat total records, the rivalry started when they were both just 11 years old.
At the Billabong Pro at Kirra, Beschen broke Slater's ASP record for highest heat total of 29 with three perfect tens for a perfect heat total of 30 points.
So going into the U.S. open at Huntington Beach, Slater was feeling the heat and was ready to take down Beschen by any means necessary.
Music: "Skin Of My Teeth" Melbourne Band
#realsurfstories #greatestsurfingrivalries #usopenofsurfing

[@catinthehat8412]

I hoped that Shane beat Kelly for the world title loved his surfing then along came Andy good for pro surfing

[@davotulipan5335]

Such a Floridian move.
Reminded of my past surfing all the hot spots up and down the coast.. Lots of great surfers and they were ready to scrape anytime over shit waves.

[@tommyo321]

This rival went a way back before they turned pro. I saw them go head to head at the US championships when they were in the boys division.

[@RealSurfStories]

As Shane clearly stated in the video

[@viciousveteran]

Dirty move by Kelly. He was too deep for that wave anyway and it shouldn’t have been an interference call. It was an obvious tactic by Kelly. Shane was looking solid in this heat and out surfed Kelly.

[@txzz4688]

Slater was gifted a couple of world titles

[@Giggle-ing]

Haha. Which ones specifically?

[@bluedoggum8373]

@@Giggle-ing go watch the one he stole from Andy. He got like, I can’t remember, a 9.5 on a wave he fell on.

[@Giggle-ing]

@@bluedoggum8373 well he fairly beat Andy in that heat at Jbay. Scores sometimes get too high throughout the whole heat. That was the best ride of the heat by a good margin.

[@bluedoggum8373]

@@Giggle-ing there was a reason slater won so many world titles, and it has nothing to do with his surfing ability. I’m not saying he’s not a great surfer of course. Let me ask you this, did you ever hear slater criticize wsl or asp? Are things starting to make sense yet. That’s how things work

[@Giggle-ing]

@@bluedoggum8373 ah. The old conspiracy theory. So why isn’t he winning now? Did he talk a bunch of shit about em? 😄

[@williamhanley7031]

Shane was boogie boarding for like a year I think before he started surfing. 1980. T street

[@Steve-hs5le]

The reason the Goat Kelly Slater won 11 World Title's. Is his mental toughness. Everyone else except Mick Fanning fell apart .

[@RealSurfStories]

And A.I.

[@Dill_doh]

Oh ya?

[@Steve-hs5le]

@@RealSurfStories A I couldn't defeat his demon's so he masked them.

[@user-pl3qz4ui1n]

He got robbed , sneaky slates.

[@johnmartin2079]

Andy was a real professional surfer he never backed down for anybody, Andy had his brother Bruce to surf against as pro comp.

[@jaycee571]

Ah yes he did back down, ask Mick Campbell

[@coldseamonster]

People forget before Andy ,Shane was the main deal for Kelly. Good times.

[@bluedoggum8373]

I really domt know exactly what the rule says but Shane was standing up first. Obviously having the inside means nothing if you simply are back hoping a guy from the inside. I suppose the judges saw it more as they were getting up simultaneously, but they weren’t. This was from a time everything was going slaters way and he was being overscored. Beschen deserved at least one world title but he got robbed out of it by calls like this and overscoring slater.

[@2HitWonder]

Beschen was the better surfer that day, and that year. Kelly's sleezy interference at the US Open killed Shane's momentum, or he would have been 98 world champ.

[@josephwiard6695]

It’s ok when slater does it but Medina does and everyone hates on him for it lol

[@laniakea777]

Jjj

[@toothnail605]

Jocks. Prefer the Artists who don't care about surfing for the judges and "points." Imagine being a guitarist and you play for judges lol and "points." Trippy world

[@RealSurfStories]

Both are great. 🍎🍏🍊🍊

[@davidamato]

Rather win because you the best surfer. Sneaky snake.

[@williamhanley7031]

That was bullshit. Shane was up on the wave before kelly

[@Daniel-ns7bv]

Slater fan here but that was a dog act

[@williamhanley7031]

Well said. Sneaky sucker punch.

[@dixonjavier]

What about Andy Irons.

[@RealSurfStories]

Another great rivalry for another video

[@artieborko4988]

Died of dengue fever