The King Has Entered The Building

Kel and Sal: big in Duranbah. Pic: Adam Weathered

Kelly Slater has rolled in to the Gold Coast in time for the season opening Quiksilver Pro at Snapper. After a few days of surfing attracting headlines for the wrong reasons, it's awesome to see the Greatest Of All Time kicking it with the kids on the beach, signing plenty of autographs, and lighting up an otherwise dreary day at Duranbah.

Hanging with good mate and general groovy guy around town, Sal Masekela, of X Games hosting fame, Slater tore into the lumpy three-foot surf with the sort of on-point precision you'd expect of the 10-time Champ. Testing out his quiver of Wizard Sleeves and Semi Pros (click here for a full rundown) Slater found little tubes where there were none, and sheared outrageous chunks out of any errant wall that got in his way.

Masekela, in town to host tonight's big ASP Banquet, was packing a Dumpster Diver and one of Damo Hobgood's sleds in his arsenal. Despite how Hollywood Sal's life has turned (he has spots on E! News and covered the World Cup last year in South Africa for ESPN) Sal started life working for Transworld in California, and will always be true to his roots.

No doubt he's as pumped as the rest of the surfing world for a very special event tonight. Kelly will officially receive his tenth world title, Steph Gilmore will pick up numero quattro, and the ASP will pay fitting homage to Andy Irons.

With Dane Reynolds not receiving any silverware tonight, ASL got in touch to find out if Kelly would getting plastered and taking over the comedy duties on stage? "Well, I'll have to cover for Dane," said Slats. "But it's gonna be hard 'cos I quit drinking. I'll really have to pull something out to method act on this one." Your guess is as good as ours as to what that means, but ASL hopes for all our sakes that Kelly pops out of his limo, cocktail in hand, resplendent in Hawaiian shirt, tonight at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Celebrity hot tub time. Pic: Adam Weathered

Slats' spray brings all the kids to the yard. Pic: Adam Weathered

KS pivots one off the top. Pic: Adam Weathered

ASL asked a local on the beach if he'd got tubed at all in his session. "It's not barrelling," he replied bluntly. 'Tis if you're Kelly. Pic: Adam Weathered

Quick pitstop to sign a few autographs, switch boards, pound a Vitamin Water and brush his hair and the King is straight back out. Pic: Adam Weathered

"Kelly quite likes it, rockin' the D-Bah, rocks the D-Bah etc." (Sung to the tune of Rock The Casbah) Pic: Adam Weathered

Just from the splayed toes and poised paws you can pick Slater in an instant. Pic: Adam Weathered

Cheeks puffed just so, rail grabbed tight, Kelly sets his rail... Pic: Adam Weathered

... and gaffs the shit out of a poor, unsuspecting D-Bah lump. Pic: Adam Weathered

And then does it all again... Pic: Adam Weathered

... for good measure. KS 2 - Poor, unsuspecting D-Bah lump 0. Pic: Adam Weathered

A bit of blood from a rail-butt wasn't going to sour the session for the champ. Pic: Adam Weathered

"Just a little knick on the side of the head," said Kelly, when ASL spoke to him. "All good."