Last weekend, Kelly Slater, 38, won an unprecedented 10th Association of Surfing Professionals world title at the Rip Curl Search Pro in Puerto Rico. Winning his first title in 1992, Slater ushered in a new era in competitive surfing. He went on to win five more titles during the 1990s and others in 2005, 2006, and 2008.

For Slater, the drive to win became more about personal achievement. "Wining heats becomes less important the more you go on. It's more the experience of pushing yourself to get better, because you either get better or you get irrelevant," he said.

Slater's reign has inspired comparisons to legends of sports such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Slater takes it in stride. "You can't really say who's a better athlete. I'm going to say there's millions of people who are better athletes than me … that have better endurance, who can run faster, ride a bike faster, can climb a mountain better. … I don't compare in that way."

One way to compare is the length of Slater's domination, now stretching nearly two decades. "I'm a competitive guy and I know how to win, so I've been successful at that. That's really about as far as you can draw it. It's an endless conversation and I'm just glad to be a part of it."

The days leading up to Slater's win on Saturday were overshadowed by the death of three-time ASP champion Andy Irons on Nov. 2. The rivalry between Irons and Slater was famous within pro surfing. "It's been a week of extremes for me. If it wasn't for Andy, there is no way I'd be here in this position right now."