Surfers wait for the trickle-down effectÂ
Kelly Slater, nine times world surfing champion, was poised to receive $US10 million ($10.7 million) from his sponsor Quiksilver if he claimed a tenth title this year but is out of the race after an indifferent season. Instead, the Association of Surfing Professionals Tour world title is a battle of the other two brands, involving two Australians.
The Blacktown boy Mick Fanning, world champion two years ago, will ride for Rip Curl, while the Gold Coast’s Joel Parkinson is surfing for Billabong. The title will be decided at the Banzai Pipeline event in Hawaii next month. Ditto the battle of the surf brands for the women’s title … the former NSW surfer Stephanie Gilmore, now based on the Gold Coast, is contracted to Rip Curl, while Brazil’s Silvana Lima is backed by Billabong … Details