Compiled by Outside Online

March 4, 2002 After three years of retirement, surfer Kelly Slater heads back to work on Tuesday. He and 45 of the world's best surfers will compete in the Quicksilver Pro in Queensland, Australia, riding the famed breaks of the Gold Coast. It is the first of 12 competitions that will ultimately determine the 2002 Association of Surfing Professional's World Champion of surfing.

A 29-year-old Floridian and six-time world surfing champion, Slater has nothing left to prove. "I've had Quicksilver, my family, all my friends, people who are fans, and other competitors saying I have nothing to prove," he told a press conference at the Quicksilver Pro. "[This] is nice to hear, but at the same time I guess if I didn't have a bit of that I wouldn't be here."

Slater also listed the new locations of the ASP world championship competitions, increases in prize money and television time, and the new surfers as reasons for coming back.

"I figured while I have this ability and this talent, at this age, I might as well be a part of the best surfers in the world and take my shot at it," he said at the press conference.

"I'm looking forward to competing against Kelly again," said Sunny Garcia, the 2000 World Champion, at the Quicksilver Pro press conference. Garcia, along with 2001 World Champ CJ Hobgood, are pegged as being Slater's main competition.

Australia's legendary Gold Coast has always treated Slater well. He scored back-to-back wins here in 1997 and 1998, and on Friday was awarded a key to Gold Coast City, making him an honorary Gold Coaster. "I feel like the waves on the Gold Coast suit my surfing probably better than anywhere on the tour. I feel real confident here and my equipment is perfectly suited to the waves here. I've never felt more confident than when I surf the Gold Coast," he told the ASP.

The Gold Coast is famous for its consistent, long, right-handed barrels. To ensure that the 46 Quicksilver Pro competitors are always surfing the best waves, the competition is "mobile," meaning that organizers will make a call each morning at six o'clock as to the day's schedule and location. Based at Burleigh Heads, the competition can travel north to Stradbroke Island and south across the New South Wales border to Ballina.

The Quicksilver Pro begins tomorrow and continues through March 17. Winners will split $250,000 in prize money. The next event in the World Championship Tour is the Rip Curl Pro. It will be at Bell's Beach in Victoria, Australia, from March 26 through April 7.