Photo: WSL
Kelly Slater was given the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in Madrid Monday at the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards. It’s Slater’s fifth award from the prestigious event, which began in 2000 to honor individuals around the world who make a significant impact in sports. Legendary waterman Robby Naish, a Laureus Academy member for 25 years, presented Mr. Slater with the award.
The accomplishment puts the 11-time world champion surfer in elite company, joining NFL quarterback Tom Brady (2022), tennis plater Billie Jean King (2021), Formula One great Niki Lauda (2016), Pelé (2000), and more. Laureus doesn’t always include a lifetime achievement honoree, making Slater’s inclusion even more prestigious. In fact, the exclusivity of the lifetime achievement award is why many consider it the sport’s world’s equivalent of an Oscar.
As mentioned, 2025 is the fifth time Slater has come home with one of Laureus’ Cartier-designed statuettes. He’d previously won World Action Sportsperson of the Year in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2012. Layne Beachley (2004 and Stephanie Gilmore (2010) are the only other surfers to win that award. Caroline Marks had hoped to join that very short list of Laureus winning surfers as a nominee for this year’s Sportsperson of the Year. However, British Mountain Biker Tom Pidcock was this year’s winner.
In the 25 years since the Laureus World Sports Academy started holding the event, they’ve named just 19 lifetime achievement honorees. Soccer players (6) have been honored most often, and Kelly Slater is now the fourth American athlete to receive the honor.
View this post on Instagram
