Slater Wins First Heat at Japan Surfing Event

Kelly Slater won his first-round heat Wednesday at the $120,000 Miyazaki Pro surfing championships at Miyazaki, Japan.

Slater, of Huntington Beach, earned an automatic bye into the third round by defeating Australia’s Simon Law, 19.67 to 14.

Among the surfers competing in today’s second round are San Clemente’s Dino Andino, Newport Beach’s Richie Collins and Marty Thomas, a Seal Beach native now living in Hawaii.