Breaking News: Kelly Slater Withdraws from Brazil Competition Due to “Ongoing Illness”

As competition kicked off today at the VIVO Rio Pro, the Championship Tour had a GOAT-sized hole missing from the competitive field – Kelly Slater was absent.

Then, in a social media post on the opening day of competition, the World Surf League revealed that Slater had withdrawn from competition due to illness.

Captioning the post, the WSL wrote:

“BREAKING NEWS 🚨
@kellyslater has withdrawn from the @vivo #RioPro due to an ongoing illness. As the 2nd highest Brazilian surfer on the Challenger Series rankings, @jadsonandre will take his spot.”

Days prior to the announcement from the WSL, Slater posted an image of his body temperature to his social media; the caption read:

“When my sickness started the other day. On day 5 of being sick now. Fevers, sinus, chills headaches, stomach flu, etc. Glad I made it home amidst the onslaught.”

Of course, with the poor health announcement within days before the Brazil event, the surf world was skeptical about Slater’s attendance.

In fact, Slater’s attendance at the Brazil event has been spotty in the past. He last competed there in 2019, and his rankings have been riddled with injury absences, curiously happening around the Brazil event each CT season.

Some call it, the “Brazil flu.”

As far as the waves go in Brazil, although they might be the most akin on Tour to the waves Kelly grew up surfing in Cocoa Beach, FL, they aren’t necessarily the best suited for his style…at least currently. In the later years of his career, he has struggled in wonky beachbreaks vs. perfect pointbreaks or ledging barrels (read: J-Bay, Chopes, Pipe, etc.)

Earlier in the year, after falling off Tour due to the mid-season cut, Slater was granted a wildcard for the remainder of the season. So, the sickness is unfortunate when it comes to taking advantage of that. However, Brazilian surf fans will be stoked that Jadson Andre took Slater’s spot, as Jaddy is a longtime favorite from the country.

Also, there’s the Olympic qualification factor. Sitting at 23rd on the CT rankings, and well behind fellow Stars and Stripes countrymen (only two men and two women per country will qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics via the 2023 CT), Slater’s chances aren’t looking great. And that’s something that he really wanted to cap off his career.

Either way, heal up Kelly.

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