Surfer Kelly Slater fails to impress judges with aerial stunt

LOWER TRESTLES, Calif., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Kelly Slater's backside air reverse stunt wowed the crowd but failed to impress judges at the World Surf League event in California this weekend.

Judges issued Slater a 4.17 on a 10-point scale for his stunt, which had also caused him to momentarily lose control of his board before quickly regaining it.

Martin Potter, a former world championships surfer, said during Australia's ABC broadcast of the event that he was stunned by Slater's trick and equally stunned by the judges' impressions.

Slater executed the trick during the fifth round of the competition. Surfing magazine uploaded a picture of Slater's stunt and said that despite the wow factor, it was "definitely not a proper pull ... judges, you got this one right."

This incited various responses from users, such as @whohowwhatnow who said, "You need to defend your boys rather then your judges if nothing new ever happens in surfing comps it's gunna [sic] die points need to be givin [sic] for trying new stuff as well." Another user, @timbansky added: "It's a move of the future. The WSL is slow to catch on."

Surfer Mick Fanning ultimately won round No. 5.