Kelly Slater has endorsed Jack Robinson as the World Surf League’s “most clutch guy” after the Australian locked in a third-straight Finals appearance.
Red-hot Robinson secured his berth in the title-deciding finals day after winning a heart-stopping round-of-16 clash in the Fiji Pro on Friday.
West Australian world No.3 Robinson only needed to progress to the quarter-finals to punch his ticket but the Olympic silver medallist had to scrap his way to a win over Sydney surfer Connor O’Leary, who now competes under the Japan flag.
Robinson trailed O’Leary until the final few minutes at Cloudbreak when his rival blew a golden chance to extend his lead, falling on one of the waves of the heat.
He made the most of it, Robinson scoring a 5.67 for a combined total of 12.34 to topple O’Leary’s total of 11.50.
“It feels so good, so happy to be there,” Robinson said of sealing his berth.
“The last three years I’ve been in the finals; it’s special, it’s right where I’m meant to be … (I’m) making it happen.”
Robinson is Greek on his mother’s side, with his great-grandparents migrating to Australia from Mytilene.
Eleven-time world champion Slater, given a wildcard for Fiji in what was likely his tour farewell, said Robinson was ready to go all the way this year.
“Jack seems like he can’t put a foot wrong in critical situations,” the American said.
“In these high-pressure heats, where sometimes he’s the underdog … so much is on the line and he just nails it.
“He’s been the most clutch guy in the past couple of years in those heats.”
With AAP
