Former World Champion Slater Captures Surf Event in Tahiti

Kelly Slater, six-time world surfing champion, isn’t a regular on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals tour, but when he shows up there’s no question who is the favorite.

Tuesday, Slater again swamped the competition, winning the Gotcha Pro Tahiti in three-to-four foot waves at Teahupoo. Slater, 28, defeated Shane Dorian of Hawaii in the final, scoring 25.55 out of 30 points to 20.25 for Dorian. Slater had the highest heat score of the day in the semifinals, beating reigning ASP world champion and defending event champion Mark Occhilupo of Australia, 25.60-19.75.

Occhilupo beat San Clemente’s Cory Lopez in the quarterfinals. Hawaii’s Sunny Garcia, who won the tour’s first two events of 2000, lost to Dorian in the round of 16.