11 time World Champion Kelly Slater has just announced via social media that he is quitting the World Surf League Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour with immediate effect.

Coming off the back of a string of fairly lacklustre performances, and following a particularly candid interview after last place at Bells, Slater has thrown in the towel, after 27 years on tour.

“I’ve always tried to listen to my body, and right now, and for a little while, my body has been saying ‘It’s been fun, but we’re done’” announced Kelly on Twitter. “For me, it’s never been about taking part, it’s been about winning. And I feel I’m no longer able to maintain a legitimate threat. I’m as far as I’ve ever been from winning a CT event, let alone a World Title.”

Although he is as yet to state his intentions regarding immediate future plans, confidantes close to the Slater camp reckons Kelly will be working ever more closely on his clothing brand outerknown, developing a new range of Firewire surfboards, as well peddling chia seeds and spreading conspiracy theories.

Insiders at the World Surf League, who’ve been dreading this eventuality for the last 15 years, are said to be ‘absolutely shitting it’.

Watch Kelly’s last post-heat interview here

Updates to follow.