Kelly Slater Applauds 19-Year-Old Ned Hart for Insane Ride at Aussie Slab
Ned Hart, the fearless 19-year-old surfer from Western Australia, is back in the spotlight after pulling off an outrageous ride under one of Australia’s heaviest slabs. The maneuver was so daring and precise that even surfing legend Kelly Slater couldn’t stay silent, commenting on Ned’s Instagram post, “Sick angle into that thing… Wow.”
Hart first turned heads at age 16 with a jaw-dropping air-drop to barrel combo at Shipstern Bluff, earning him the inaugural Young Gun award at the 2023 Big Wave Challenge. Since then, he’s doubled down on his love for cold, shallow, and punishing slabs—surfing spots that most would rather admire from the shore.
For the 2025 Big Wave Challenge, Hart submitted two entries, both from gnarly waves. The first was from a session at Riley’s in Ireland—a notoriously heavy left—but it was his second clip, shot at a wave dubbed only as “Aussie Slab,” that really blew minds. In the video, he releases the tow rope so deep behind the peak that it looks like the lip races toward him. Miraculously, he pulls it off without grabbing his outside rail or shifting into a survival stance—just pure control and instinct.
Ned Hart isn’t just another big wave hopeful. With backing from the Florence camp (yes, those Florences), and recognition from GOATs like Slater, it’s clear this kid is carving a name for himself—one slab at a time.