Surfing legend Kelly Slater has been filmed surfing with the same man he wanted to be deported from Bali after punching a woman during a blow-up just months earlier.
Brazilian pro surfer João Paulo’ JP’ Azevedo was condemned by many in the surfing world after he was filmed punching American female surfer Sara Taylor in the head several times at Bali’s Uluwatu in April.
Among the avalanche of Pros to call out the attack was 51-year-old Slater, who tagged an Indonesian friend in the video of the incident, asking: “Do you guys know these guys? What’s the deal? Get this guy [Azevedo] sent home where he belongs.”
Despite the savage words, a video released a month ago by Azevedo shows the pair surfing together at another Bali spot, Padang Padang.
The pair are even shown on the same wave during the eight-and-a-half-minute video.
While the context is unclear, Azevedo said it was his “dream session”.
“Surfing with the GOAT Kelly Slater in Bali, Indonesia is a dream Session,” he said.
“Paradise of perfect waves with Kelly Slater is a dream come true, because since I was a child I watched movies, and Slater always inspired me and my friends and everyone in the world of surfing, always winning the world WSL competitions and raising everyone’s level, both athletes and competitors in general.”
Surf media, however, is a bit more sceptical of the interaction.
Surfer Magazine suggested the footage shows Slater clearly ‘snaking’ and ‘dropping in’ on Azevedo – both of which are seen as disrespectful or aggressive in the surf.
April’s ugly incident unfolded in Bali when Taylor and Brazilian Adrian Portela dropped in on the same wave in Uluwatu, though footage clearly showed Taylor with the right of way.
After the heated exchange of words in the water, it took a nasty turn when a friend of Portela’s, identified as Azevedo, paddled up and punched Taylor in the head.
The ugly scenes worsened on the beach when Azevedo, Portela and their entourage of at least six others followed Taylor and her friend.
The follow-up attack was caught on camera as Azevedo punched and yanked a towel away from Taylor, screaming, “Don’t film me”.
The entourage began to encircle the pair of women, with Taylor yelling for them to “go away” as the clip ends.
Taylor took to Instagram following the incident, explaining she was dropped in on before the men on the beach took issue with being filmed.
“After being dropped in on, on my first wave, the guy’s friend punched me in the head and then after being confronted about hitting me, he attacked [her friend] Charlie on the beach for filming him. This is insane, does anyone know who they are?” she later posted to Instagram.
The video of the savage attack went viral, with other pros like Felicity Palmateer condemning the men’s “disgusting” behaviour.
“This is so disgusting and actually terrifying,” she posted on social media. “I hope you’re all right. Get these guys deported ASAP!”
Aussie champion Mick Fanning labelled them “weak humans,” and fellow Brazilian pro Filipe Toledo offered his apologies to Taylor and her friend.
“I’m sorry that happened to you guys!” he said.
“(I) Hope you guys are OK! Don’t stress with people with this kind of energy! They don’t last long. Life will come back to them!”
Azevedo later apologised, saying he was “deeply sorry and ashamed”, claiming the video posted online didn’t show the whole story and had “put me in a dangerous position”.
“I saw a surfer push my friend and went to ask [them] why [they did it] and got punched on my face, and then I retaliated,” he claimed.
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“Then I realised it was a woman. Then I got out of the sea to apologise.
“They took my board inside the car. I went to get my board back defending myself from attacks. And in between attacks, I also attacked.”
Portela, also said to be involved in the attack, apologised but denied touching anyone.
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