Andy Irons vs. Kelly Slater: The Epic Quiksilver Pro Japan Showdown

2005 FINAL HEAT, EVERY WAVE with EVERY SCORE. Taj Burrow said this was the BEST FINAL he had ever seen.

Their roads to the showdown were different. Andy arrived at the event late and seemed out of sorts on the first round at a small beach break. Round 2 moved to the Japanese surf spot called Malibu- under the bridge in Chiba. Andy liked the punchy, hollow right-handers. Andy had a cruisy win over Dane Reynolds, and after that, he crushed all who came up against him until the super tight final. Kelly initially didn’t want to paddle out the morning of finals after looking at the wash-through conditions. He had a good point when he asked the judges and contest organizers to delay the start of the round for a higher tide later in the day. They declined, wanting to ensure the contest was finished before the Typhoon pushed ashore, which was scheduled to happen the next day.

Despite having surfed three previous heats each, both guys got off to a quick start. So quick that the score was 15.6 to 15.17 with 23 minutes remaining. When they go head-to-head, it’s easy to see how evenly matched they are. They find the barrel seemingly at will, throw giant, stylish carves in the most critical part of the hook and know how to punctuate a ride with a giant snap, tail slide or air. Despite the driving rain, the entire beach was buzzing, and emails were pouring in from around the world from fans glued to their computers. The key moment happened at the 11-minute mark when Andy, needing an 8.6, grabbed priority and held it. He waited for his wave for seven long minutes, showing the patience and poise you expect from a three-time world champ, even as great waves peeled off around him. Andy said, “I was a bit stressed, but I knew I had that one good score locked away, and all I needed to do was back it up.”

Finally, with four minutes left, the biggest wave of the day lined up across the reef. Andy took off deep, so deep in fact that the wave looked like a closeout. But he drove across it and then flew up into the longest and heaviest tube of the day. He came out, slammed a turn in the lip and claimed it all the way to the beach. The judges scored him a well-deserved 9.93, giving Andy another win in a Quiksilver event. Interestingly, up to this point in 2005, Kelly hadn’t won a Quiksilver event since France in 1996, while Andy’s taken out 4 of them in the last two years. Meanwhile, Kelly has won 4 Billabong events in the same period. Kelly's comment, “It’s like we’re both sponsored by both companies.”

After it was over, Kelly downplayed the overall significance of Andy’s win, saying, “It may have been one wave in one heat, but by him winning, he gained 178 points on me. If I’d won, I would have moved ahead about the same.”

Later on, after the fans and crew had drifted away from the beach, Taj Burrow wrote emails in the office of the event at Hebara Beach and reflected on what he had seen (yes, in 2005, emails weren't on your phone). He knew what happened was more than just about rating points or world titles — it was about the magic that can happen when everything comes together. “Kelly was surfing better than I had ever seen anyone surf, but that wave Andy got — he deserved to win,” he said. “It was the best final I’ve ever seen.”
--excerpt from SURFING MAGAZINE, September 5, 2005 (minor edits from Nalu)

#surfing #kellyslater #andyirons

FINALS RESULT:
Andy Irons def. Kelly Slater

SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
Kelly Slater def. Toby Martin
Andy Irons def. Tom Whitaker

QUARTERFINALS RESULTS:
Toby Martin def. Mick Fanning
Kelly Slater def. Phil MacDonald
Andy Irons def. Troy Brooks
Tom Whitaker def. Taj Burrow

The Entire Event will be available on Nalu.TV soon.

ALSO STREAMING ON NALU.TV
Searching for Tom Curren, a film by Sonny Miller
25th Anniversary Remastered in Memory of Sonny Miller (1960-2014)

Streaming + Collector's Edition Blu-ray/DVD/Photo Booklet: https://nalu.tv/tomcurren

Nalu.TV is a NEW Streaming platform showcasing the creative work of filmmakers and brands to audiences around the world. Remastering classic movies and creating new content with a huge archive of historical films, footage and photographs.
More Info and for Licensing Agreements: https://nalu.tv/archives

Subscribe on YouTube:    / @nalu-tv  
Like on Facebook:   / nalufilms  
Follow us on Instagram:   / nalufilms  
Follow us on Twitter:   / tvnalu