It's easy to call Kelly Slater the greatest of all time -- GOAT -- in surfing. Nobody even comes close. With 11 World Titles, he's both the youngest and oldest men's World Champ. Chasing glory on Tour for 30 years, he's the owner of 55 Championship Tour victories and has literally won everywhere around the world.
Today, Slater celebrates his 49th birthday, and in honor of the GOAT, we thought we'd see how his accomplishments stack up compared to other sports icons. Like his dominance, the findings are stunning:
Kelly Slater, Bali, 2013. - WSL / Kirstin Scholtz
Eleven's The Magic Number
With Slater's 11 Titles he's the best individual athletes ever. Tiger Woods earned PGA Player Of The Year honors 10 times. Wayne Gretzky claimed the NHL's Hart Trophy nine times, while Muhammad Ali spent nine years as heavyweight boxing champ. Most recently, the NFL's Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl.
The GOAT's Got World Records
Slater holds three Guiness World Records, including most CT victories and most World Titles. As noted, he's also the youngest and oldest men's World Champ in history.
He's An International Man Of Victory
Over the course of his career, Slater has won CT events in 11 countries and six continents. His most victories have come in Australia, where he's won 13 times.
The Media Loves The Man
Not only was Jimmy Slade the star of "Baywatch," but he's also been featured in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People issue and ranked as one of the 25 Coolest Athletes by GQ Magazine. And when it comes to jamming the tunes, he's performed with artists that are responsible for over 44 gold or platinum albums, including Jackson Browne, Perry Farrell, and of course, his pal Eddie Vedder.
He Invented The World's Greatest Man-Made Wave
Joining up with a team of scientists and engineers, the imagination and technical knowledge that went into inventing the Surf Ranch was driven by Slater's ever-moving mind. Yes, wave pools had been around for decades, but he took the game to a whole new level when he put Lemoore, California, on the map.
Slater's A GOAT In The Boardroom Too
From the launch of surfboard brand Slater Designs to his work with eco-conscious clothing label Outerknown, Slater isn't content just to change surfing in the water, he's changing how business is done too. From environmentally-friendly surfboard construction to traction pads made of leash, his success in business has been a success for surfers around the world.
Kelly Slater At 49, See How He Stacks Up Against Other Sports Greats
Jake Howard
It's easy to call Kelly Slater the greatest of all time -- GOAT -- in surfing. Nobody even comes close. With 11 World Titles, he's both the youngest and oldest men's World Champ. Chasing glory on Tour for 30 years, he's the owner of 55 Championship Tour victories and has literally won everywhere around the world.
Today, Slater celebrates his 49th birthday, and in honor of the GOAT, we thought we'd see how his accomplishments stack up compared to other sports icons. Like his dominance, the findings are stunning:
Kelly Slater, Bali, 2013. - WSL / Kirstin ScholtzEleven's The Magic Number
With Slater's 11 Titles he's the best individual athletes ever. Tiger Woods earned PGA Player Of The Year honors 10 times. Wayne Gretzky claimed the NHL's Hart Trophy nine times, while Muhammad Ali spent nine years as heavyweight boxing champ. Most recently, the NFL's Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl.
The GOAT's Got World Records
Slater holds three Guiness World Records, including most CT victories and most World Titles. As noted, he's also the youngest and oldest men's World Champ in history.
He's An International Man Of Victory
Over the course of his career, Slater has won CT events in 11 countries and six continents. His most victories have come in Australia, where he's won 13 times.
The Media Loves The Man
Not only was Jimmy Slade the star of "Baywatch," but he's also been featured in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People issue and ranked as one of the 25 Coolest Athletes by GQ Magazine. And when it comes to jamming the tunes, he's performed with artists that are responsible for over 44 gold or platinum albums, including Jackson Browne, Perry Farrell, and of course, his pal Eddie Vedder.
He Invented The World's Greatest Man-Made Wave
Joining up with a team of scientists and engineers, the imagination and technical knowledge that went into inventing the Surf Ranch was driven by Slater's ever-moving mind. Yes, wave pools had been around for decades, but he took the game to a whole new level when he put Lemoore, California, on the map.
Slater's A GOAT In The Boardroom Too
From the launch of surfboard brand Slater Designs to his work with eco-conscious clothing label Outerknown, Slater isn't content just to change surfing in the water, he's changing how business is done too. From environmentally-friendly surfboard construction to traction pads made of leash, his success in business has been a success for surfers around the world.
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