John John Florence, not bored of winning yet. Photo: World Surf League/Tony Heff
John John Florence already won his first World Title this year. He also won the Eddie in what might’ve been the best conditions the event has ever been run in. And now he’s on his way to winning the Triple Crown for his third time. John John Florence is, in the eyes of pretty much everyone, the best surfer on earth right now. Up until this year, he was the best surfer on earth with a habit of doing badly in contests. Now that he’s sorted that out, it seems there’s no stopping him.
From the outset of the first gem in the Triple Crown, Florence was the obvious winner. He surfed on a different level than anyone else, consistently doing the biggest and best of everything on the biggest and best of waves. With Sunset just down the road–both from John John’s house and in the Triple Crown–John John Florence is champing at the bit, albeit in the laid back way that John John champs at the bit. “This is the best year of my life, for sure,” Florence said after his win. “I’m so glad to get a win here at home. I want to win the Triple Crown. I want to win Pipe. I want it all.”
Surprisingly, though, the next GOAT was almost beaten in the final by Frederico Morais, the Portuguese surfer who seemed to show up out of nowhere. In the final minutes of the heat, Morais needed a 7.34 to take the lead. He found a wave, powered through it, and spectators held their breath while judges deliberated. When the score came in, it was a 7.33, making the heat a tie. But, as per WSL rules, in the event of a tie score, the next best wave in the heat is the decider. John’s was an 8.83, while Frederico’s was an 8.33.
Florence has already hoisted the Triple Crown twice, once in 2011 and another time in 2013, and those years he wasn’t nearly as dominant as he has been this year. John John Florence is finally living up to everyone’s expectations, and it’s good to see.
