Kelly Slater Will NOT Surf for Team USA at Paris 2024 Olympics, Says Ex National Surfing Association CEO

Will he, or won’t he?

The seesaw saga of Kelly Slater’s Olympic qualification for Paris 2024 continues.

And the latest being, he will NOT surf for Team USA. There’s no chance, not even via the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico. At least, according to one source.

As we previously reported, there was still a chance for Slater to qualify for Team USA – a technicality, really, allowing for a third, extra slot for the Americans at Paris 2024 – not from the 2023 WSL Championship Tour, but next year’s ISA World Surfing Games.

(Note: John John Florence and Griffin Colapinto have already provisionally locked in the two slots allotted for the men, as a result of their rankings on the 2023 WSL CT.)

The word, from the ISA's Marketing and Media Director, Federico Ferroni, was this:

"Technically, according to the published Olympic Qualification System, Team USA could win a 3^rd slot for the men’s team by finishing as the highest ranked men’s team at next year’s ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico. The decision on who would receive the 3^rd slot would then be up the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)."

However, in our Facebook post regarding this potential backdoor entry for Slater, a rebuttal conversation ensued between World Champion Peter “PT” Townend and former USA Surfing CEO Greg Cruse.

PT wrote:

“Unless the USA Team fields it's best Men to compete and go after it in Puerto Rico there's not a chance of securing their third Olympic slot, in this year's ISA Games in El Salvador Team USA didn't even finish in the "Top Ten" nations for the first time in 20 years!”

To which, Cruse responded:

“Even if the USA men win a slot it would go to the USA surfer from the 2023 Tahiti CT event that finished in the semifinals or better that is not one of the top 2 surfers in the CT rankings. If no surfer finished in the semis then it would go to the 3rd highest ranked surfer in the 2023 CT rankings. Barron Mamiya placed 3rd in Tahiti and is also the 3rd ranked American on the CT, so if a third spot is earned by the USA men at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games it would go to Barron.”

Cruse referred to the Surfing Athlete Selection Procedures, specifically section 1.4.

But he ended the conversation with a definitive:

“Kelly Slater will not be on the US Team.”

***

Don't miss another headline from SURFER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of surfing. We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging surf-related videos to feature on our channels.

Whether you're a professional surfer or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SURFER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality surf videos.