If you drop the competitors' lowest two scores, Kelly Slater is on top right now by 200 points. It's not over yet, though. Photo: ASP/Rowland
On Thursday September 20th 2012 Kelly Slater made 40 (his age) the new 50 (the number of ASP WCT events that he has now won) by winning the Lower Trestles 2012 Hurley Pro. In so doing, Kelly also technically took over the lead for the ASP WCT title, because, although Mick Fanning currently shows as #1 on the ASP WCT with 41,250 points and Joel Parkinson is credited as #2 with 39,700 points, and Kelly is listed at #3 with 35,450 points, if you drop the two low results of each surfer thus far (as will take place at season’s end, in determining the winner of the world title), then you will see Kelly in familiar territory at #1 ahead of Mick by 200 points and Joel by 2700 points.
The bad news for Kelly is that he already has 2 low results on his event score line for 2012 with an injury at Brazil, and an equal 13th at Tahiti. Kelly will still need to achieve near perfection at all four of the remaining events of the 2012 ASP WCT season. But, Kelly at least now controls his own destiny, meaning that as long as Kelly places equal to or higher than Mick and Joel at these last 4 events of the 2012 ASP WCT season, then World Title number 12 will be Kelly’s in 2012.
Mick, although technically 200 points behind Kelly given the drop two events scenario, still remains the World Title favorite going into the France event (event #7 of the 10 event 2012 ASP WCT season). Mick only has 1 throw away result thus far this year, a disappointing equal 13th place at event #1, his home break at Snapper Rock. Since the Snapper event, Mick has not finished lower than 3rd, with two 3rd Place finishes, and two event wins. It’s currently Mick’s title to win, but being neck and neck with the finish and Kelly fast approaching will surely prove to be both a battle and a career-defining moment for the ultra-competitive Aussie.
Joel is certainly still in the running, but a full furlong and a half behind Kelly and Mick as this world title race rounds the backstretch. But, the 2012 ASP World Title is still well within striking distance for Joel. Joel has finished runner-up at three ASP WCT events in 2012. Joel needs to win at least one of the remaining 2012 ASP WCT events in order to have a legitimate shot at winning the 2012 ASP World Title, with 2 event wins (matching Kelly and Mick thus far) solidifying Joel’s quest for his maiden ASP World Title.
Long shots include John Florence 6,300 points behind Kelly, and Adriano de Souza and Taj Burrow 8,300 and 8,800 points respectively behind Kelly. Look for all three of these surfers to set a blister pace to the finish line of the 2012 ASP WCT season, but to ultimately place out of the money – figuratively speaking.
The true winners in this dramatic race for the 2012 ASP World Title race are most certainly the ASP and its fans, as the completion of the 2012 ASP WCT World Title race is lining up to be one of the most historic and exciting of all time.
