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Thanks to their final treble in 2011 these two surfers have forged a mutual admiration society. |
Owen Wright punts on a left hander just outside the hungry rocks. Frame grab: Shane Fletcher
Compare The Pair: In 2011 Owen Wright and Kelly Slater went head-to-head in three consecutive ASP World Championship Tour events. The Billabong Pro in Tahiti, the Quiksilver Pro in New York and finally the Hurley Pro at Trestles. The final tally going to Kelly, two wins to one. “It’s rare in your career to make three finals in a row,” Kelly said in the press conference after his Trestles win. “Even more rare, I would say, it’s probably never happened, that two guys made three finals in a row”. It’s little wonder, in light of the rare treble, that the two surfers have forged a mutual admiration society – despite Owen stealing the champs thunder big time by winning the East Coast of America’s first ever WCT – It may be Kelly’s coast [hailing from Florida] and it may have been his major sponsors event, but it was Owen who walked away with the whopping 300 grand cheque. Fast-forward to March 2012, and the two terrors are surfing an isolated piece of coastline in Western Australia. The Drug aware Pro has been run and won (not by either of them), but the two have hung around. The water was warm, the waves a tad better than average, for this part of West Oz and the wind perfect for big airs. Shooting from the dry dusty cliffs was Tracks’ eagle eye filmmaker, Shane Fletcher, shooting for our next (*yet to be titled) self produced surf flick. Shane spoke of the two splitting the peak repeatedly, Owen going the left, Kelly the right. “Neither was busting-a-gut”, Shane told us. “It looked like they were cruising…” These frame grabs tell a different story, Shane?
Film making tip: Always talk it down.
We’re on to you Shane, can’t wait to see the final product!
(Production tip: Only use subtle pressure, artists are fragile)
While Owen was focused on the lefts Kelly Slater owned the rights. Frame grab: Shane Fletcher
