NINE-TIME world surfing champion American Kelly Slater is backing a rebel pro-surfing tour that will start as early as next year, with or without the support of the sport's existing sponsors and administrators. The breakaway world surfing competition has the potential to affect broadcast rights, sponsorships, advertising and significantly boost the earnings of the world's best surfers.

Organisers of the rebel tour - Slater's manager Terry Hardy and former American boxing promoter Matt Tinley - have an in-principle agreement with US pay television sports network ESPN to broadcast it and claim to have enough financial backing to get the tour running without the imprimatur of the surf industry or peak surfing body, the Association of Surfing Professionals.

"In a year there is a possibility that there will be two world champions, but obviously that's not what we want to happen," Quiksilver International event director Rod Brooks says. Quiksilver, a surf clothing company, is Slater's long-time sponsor and has been involved in developing the rebel tour for at least the past month.

Early this month Quiksilver chief executive Bob McKnight summoned leaders of other surf labels to meet Hardy in California, to inform them of the rebel tour and invite them to be involved. According to various reports, Hardy told the meeting the tour would proceed whether they supported him or not.

ASP chief executive Brodie Carr waited three weeks before he could get a meeting with Hardy, which happened this week in Los Angeles. Carr is not saying what was discussed but one rumour in the surfing world suggests Hardy was bullish about his ability to steal the sport away from the ASP. Other sources say the rebels have employed a team of lawyers to head off any legal challenge from the ASP.

Read the (Full Story.)[NINE-TIME world surfing champion American Kelly Slater is backing a rebel pro-surfing tour that will start as early as next year, with or without the support of the sport's existing sponsors and administrators. The breakaway world surfing competition has the potential to affect broadcast rights, sponsorships, advertising and significantly boost the earnings of the world's best surfers.

Organisers of the rebel tour - Slater's manager Terry Hardy and former American boxing promoter Matt Tinley - have an in-principle agreement with US pay television sports network ESPN to broadcast it and claim to have enough financial backing to get the tour running without the imprimatur of the surf industry or peak surfing body, the Association of Surfing Professionals.

"In a year there is a possibility that there will be two world champions, but obviously that's not what we want to happen," Quiksilver International event director Rod Brooks says. Quiksilver, a surf clothing company, is Slater's long-time sponsor and has been involved in developing the rebel tour for at least the past month.

Early this month Quiksilver chief executive Bob McKnight summoned leaders of other surf labels to meet Hardy in California, to inform them of the rebel tour and invite them to be involved. According to various reports, Hardy told the meeting the tour would proceed whether they supported him or not.

ASP chief executive Brodie Carr waited three weeks before he could get a meeting with Hardy, which happened this week in Los Angeles. Carr is not saying what was discussed but one rumour in the surfing world suggests Hardy was bullish about his ability to steal the sport away from the ASP. Other sources say the rebels have employed a team of lawyers to head off any legal challenge from the ASP.

Read the Full Story.