Kelly Slater Leaves Quiksilver

After years of sponsorship, 11-time ASP World Champion surfer Kelly Slater is ending his long relationship with Quiksilver.  In a letter to the public on April 1st, Slater announced that he would be starting a new business venture with Kering Group, which has a combination of luxury and lifestyle brands like Gucci, Puma, Volcom and Saint Laurent.

"There is little I can say that would give the credit due or cover the debt of gratitude I feel on a personal and professional level to Quiksilver.  As a brand and on a human level, they have been a part of my life, careers, and personal relationships for more than 23 years now, well over half my life.  They've supported me through good times and bad, personal hardships and creative triumphs, and never wavered  in backing my choices and desires in all that time," Kelly Slater wrote in his letter to the public.  "There aren’t enough pages or words to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the experiences that have come from this relationship we’ve shared together. So it is with a heavy heart and a lifetime of positive memories that I move in a new chapter of my life."

While Slater's chapter with Quiksilver has come to an end, the professional surfer looks forward to starting something new with Kering Group.  "They share my values and have the ability to support me in all of my endeavors. I look forward to exploring all of the new opportunities this partnership will provide, but this hasn’t happened by chance, nor has it happened without an incredible amount of work by a few key individuals," Slater wrote.  "As I embark on this new journey, I am sticking to my gut instincts and the belief that your dreams can become reality with the right intentions."