Oh, he also celebrated his 35th birthday two weeks ago with a few friends, such as Pamela Anderson, Julia Roberts and rock star Perry Farrell.

It's been a hectic, yet relaxing, winter for Kelly Slater, who'll get back to "work" this week, when pro surfing's World Championship Tour begins tomorrow in Queensland, Australia, with the $300,000 Quiksilver Pro.

The Cocoa Beach, Fla., native is coming off perhaps his finest year, when he clinched his unprecedented eighth world title with two events remaining.

Last season at this time, Slater was contemplating retirement. But successive wins in Australia launched an incredible year, one in which he never finished worse than fifth.

"I was just relaxed," said Slater, recalling last year's season-opening win at the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast of Australia. "When you don't expect anything, good things happen. When you expect to win something, there's no upside. It all just came together."

At 34, he became the oldest world champion, an honor which fits perfectly alongside one of his other notable achievements - being the youngest world champion at age 20.

"Every contest he enters, he's the guy to beat," said Damien Hobgood, who finished seventh in the world last year. "Especially now, since he's got the world title again, everyone wants to take him down. And that's nothing new for him, and that's nothing new for the rest of us. It seems like it's always been that way. He's still ripping."

Hobgood's twin brother, C.J., agrees that Slater is still the dominant surfer, even with the likes of proven stars such as Kauai's Andy Irons, Mick Fanning and Taj Burrow in the hunt.

"I think it's just a matter of how hungry he is," said C.J. Hobgood, the 2001 world champion. "I'm not sure he's thinking about just nine, but probably double digits, and then he'll retire for good. I just can't stop thinking about getting one more and just being consistent.

"But, for sure, Kelly's always the guy to beat."

Hobgood, now 27, begins his eighth year on the world circuit. He and his brother recently returned from a two-week trip to Micronesia, where they hosted their first Hobgood Challenge junior contest and where they got in some important, big-wave practice.

"I bruised my ribs a little bit, so I've just been icing them down," C.J. Hobgood said.

He's coming off an impressive victory in the World Qualifying Series season opener at Sebastian, where he defeated Damien, Asher Nolan and WCT newcomer Gabe Kling.

"I've been feeling good," said Hobgood, who was ranked 16th last season despite a fairly close call down the stretch to requalify for one of the top 28 guaranteed spots. "I'm in my prime - at least, that's what they say."

His career, although maybe not as star-driven as Slater's, has been a whirlwind adventure from the little kid who used to pedal his bicycle to the beach after school.

"It blows me away, the lifestyle I'm living," he said. "Just to go surf. It's definitely everything I always dreamed of and thought of. Just the part of getting older and having more (family) responsibility you don't dream of, but that's just part of life. As far as the surfing aspect, I want to do it for another 10 years, at least."

His brother shares the sentiment. "I'm really excited to start."

And, of course, so is Slater - in his own laid-back style, anyway.