Today's Quik Pro final was a match-up between the greatest surfer ever vs the current world champ.
When two of the greatest athletes of the modern era, of any era, strode into the water like Spartans in front of the boiling Gold Coast crowd, it became more than a surfing heat, it was a downright spectacle.
The final signalled the comeback of Slats, who throughout the entire day had turned on a Cassius Clay style performance of pure entertainment. (At one stage, during his quarter final with Andy, he surfed his last wave switch-foot and banged off three snaps).
Kelly matched Mick's hyper-speed, drew the craziest arcs, and scored the best set waves to outpoint Fanning. Check the pre-final focus and the frothing crowd in the above clip ...