LOWER TRESTLES, San Clemente, Calif., USA (Wednesday, May 21, 2025) - Surfing's GOAT, the 11-time World Champion, Kelly Slater (USA), will return to competition as a wildcard for the 2025 Lexus Trestles Pro Presented by Outerknown. As the Championship Tour (CT) field narrows following the Mid-season Cut at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, Slater will return to competition for Stop No. 8 of the World Surf League (WSL) CT. The event will hold a competition window from June 9 through June 17, 2025.
"I'm excited to surf Lowers after having a few months of downtime with family and watching the events online," said Slater. "Surfing this event obviously makes good sense with Outerknown sponsoring the event and celebrating our 10th anniversary. Trestles has been an ongoing great memory for the past 35 years since I won my first event as a professional there, had a number of great wins there while on Tour, and is my girlfriend's hometown and a second home to me. So I'm looking forward to competing as a wildcard and surf against a top seed or two straight away. At Outerknown we do things a bit differently and this is a different twist for me being the underdog. I'm honored and excited to compete next month."
The 53-year-old Slater previously competed as a wildcard in the first event of the 2025 season, the Lexus Pipe Pro. This marked his 33rd CT event at Pipeline, where he earned a Quarterfinal finish. As a wildcard, Slater will look to shake up the narrowed field of surfers at the high-performance wave at Lower Trestles, which was also recently announced as the Olympic surfing venue for the LA 2028 Games.
From Stop No. 8 through Stop No. 11 the field is narrowed to 24 men and 12 women to determine the Final 5 that will compete at Cloudbreak in Fiji to crown the 2025 World Champions at the Lexus WSL Finals. Since 2021, Lower Trestles has hosted the Lexus WSL Finals, the single-day event that determined the World Champions. Now, the Lexus Trestles Pro will welcome the world's best as the first stop following the Mid-season Cut.
Outerknown Announces Partnership for the Lexus Trestles Pro
Slater's wildcard return will be at the event presented by his own brand, Outerknown. As the presenting partner and official apparel sponsor of the Lexus Trestles Pro, Outerknown will be on-site with exclusive event merchandise, including Regenerative Organic Certified™ Cotton tees, fleece, and the official WSL jerseys. The on-site shop will also feature some Outerknown originals such as Kelly Slater's Apex Evolution Trunks and the Blanket Shirt. Firewire and Slater Designs will also host an on-site Demo center, giving fans the chance to experience the latest surfboard models, fins, and accessories. Attendees can enter to win a day at the Surf Ranch, a full Slater Designs quiver, and a new Outerknown wardrobe. Stay tuned to @Outerknown and @FirewireSurfboards for updates, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes content from the beach.
"We're proud to partner with the WSL and the Lexus Trestles Pro at such a meaningful time for Outerknown, as we celebrate 10 years since our inception," said Dylan Slater, CEO of Outerknown. "Adding to the moment, surf fans will get to see Kelly compete at a wave that's been a pivotal venue in shaping his legendary career. This is about bringing the surf community together for a special experience -and one we're honored to be part of."