John John Florence continues to amaze the surfing world. For the fourth time in five years he has won the Volcom Pipe Pro, besting defending event champion and 11-times WSL World Champion Kelly Slater, former Triple Crown Champion Sebastian Zeitz and 2015 Backdoor Shootout Champion Mason Ho in a star studded Final.
Conditions had been somewhat erratic throughout the morning due to swirling winds and the Northerly swell direction. In fact, John John left it to the dying seconds in his semi-final to solidify his spot in the final heat. Conditions improved just before the start of the Final, and Florence took advantage with a quick start. John John first posted an 8.43 with a nice Backdoor tube across the reef. On his next wave he got a longer barrel and then took to the sky for an incredibly lofty straight air, only just falling off after landing. Despite the fall the judges awarded him a 9.2 for the barrel. With over 25 minutes remaining on the clock, it would be up to the field to play catch up to 17.63, ultimately to no avail.
"Getting two scores in the beginning of a heat that's 35 minutes long, you sit for so long... like, oh my God, I've got 20 minutes here to just think about it." said Florence. "This-morning it was really fun, the wind was pretty clean and just really long, little barrels. Then the wind picked up and started putting this chop in it and it made it really, really difficult out there. But it was so fun. It was just whoever was in the spot for the good double ups."
Coming off the highest year-end ranking on the WSL World Tour where he finished 3rd overall in 2014, Florence is excited about the start of the upcoming World Tour season. And, winning the first event of the year for him is as good as start as he could have imagined.
"Going into the this year it's going to be a fun one. I come in with a lot of confidence out of last year, knowing I can make the heats and do really good. I'm just going to go into this year thinking the same kind of thing and hopefully it comes down to the end of the year out here at Pipe. It would be awesome. That's my dream come true - to win a world title out here at Pipe. I couldn't ask for anything more."
John John was riding his signature Futures fins, the JJF Techflex model in a 6’1” Pyzel Bastard model surfboard shaped by his longtime shaper Jon Pyzel.
Futures is proud to be the official fin system of the Volcom Pipe Pro for the 3rd consecutive year.
