Wave of future

Kelly Slater is in the twilight of an extraordinary career as a competitive surfer, but he will not fade quietly into the sunset.

On the contrary. When he retires, after this season or next, he will endeavor to chase poachers on the high seas.

Slater, 35, revealed during an interview this week that, among other ventures, he’d like to work with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and its confrontational captain, Paul Watson.

“He’s almost single-handedly saved tens of thousands of whales and probably hundreds of thousands of dolphins around the world,” Slater said. “He’s been busting people and they can do some pretty radical things at sea where, if you’re doing something illegally, it’s kind of open game on your boat.”

But before he opens this thrilling new life episode, there’s another he’d like to close on a high note.

He has eight world titles -- the only surfer with half as many is Mark Richards, with four -- and is making a run for his ninth.

Slater is ranked No. 4 on the Foster’s ASP World Tour as its sixth of 10 events, the Boost Mobile Pro, gets underway beginning Sunday at Lower Trestles near San Clemente.

It’s a pivotal contest for the innovative power surfer from Cocoa Beach, Fla., who is seeking his first win of the season.

Only with a triumph or high finish will he realistically remain in the race, which is led by Australia’s Mick Fanning.

Slater cites a lack of motivation for his slow start, which includes two ninth-place finishes.

“I’ve just sort of not been in the driver’s seat,” he said. “I’ve been a passenger waiting for somebody to kick my butt into gear and take me where I need to go.”

Though he seems to be coming around -- he made the final of the last event in South Africa, losing to Australia’s Taj Burrow -- his mind has been on future projects.

Slater, who is of Syrian descent, will visit Israel next month with the legendary Paskowitz family to facilitate, through surfing, goodwill between Israelis and Palestinians.

“I have an interest in the situation and want to know more,” Slater said.

But he claims not to be distracted and seems, based on his conversational tone, to have been duly kicked into gear.

At Trestles, he points out, he made the two-man final last year, won in 2005, made the final in 2004 and finished third in 2003.

“He is the greatest surfer of all time and still blows minds,” said Australia’s Bede Durbidge, who won at Trestles last year. “I’m sure he’ll make the finals again.”

Also ahead of Slater are Andy Irons at No. 3 and Burrow at No. 2. But Slater’s primary target is Fanning, who is seeking his first world title.

“The pressure’s going to go onto his shoulders pretty quickly because it’s coming down to crunch time and if he wavers just a little bit there are three of us right behind who are going to pick up on that,” Slater said.

“So while I do envy the position he’s in, it would also be, for me to be able to come from where I am and pass him, a really glorious thing.”

Said Fanning, who has not won at Trestles: “Kelly, Andy, Taj, Joel [Parkinson]. . . they all have done well there so they’re all threats.”

If Slater does win a ninth title this year, he’ll try for a 10th. If he doesn’t, expect to hear about him farther at sea, waging war against enemies of the environment.

Peru’s Sofia Mulanovich prevailed in a close final against Brazil’s Silvana Lima to win the Rip Curl Girls Festival at Lienceres, Spain.

The victory propelled the 2004 world champion from sixth to third and back into the title race.

“Everything has worked out perfectly for me this week,” said Mulanovich, who rallied past Lima with late scores of 8.5 and 7.05.

Lima is ranked No. 2 behind Australia’s Samantha Cornish. Stephanie Gilmore, the Aussie who held the top spot entering the competition, placed ninth and fell to No. 4.

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pete.thomas@latimes.com

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BOOST MOBILE PRO

* When: Sunday-Sept. 15

* Where: Lower Trestles, San Clemente