John Florence and Rich Roll, two people who understand what it takes to get to the absolute top of the game. Photos: YouTube//Screenshot
John John Florence is widely regarded as the best surfer in the world. Sure, there are others — Kelly Slater, for example — but in this current moment, despite the fact that the three-time world champion isn’t on tour, most people agree that Florence is at the top of the ranks. He recently sat down with Rich Roll, a supremely accomplished athlete himself and host of one of the world’s most popular podcasts.
Roll is an interesting guy. He’s a graduate of Stanford University and Cornell Law School who did something that most people considered impossible. In 2010, the vegan ultra-endurance athlete did five Ironman-distance triathlons on five islands in Hawaii in under a week. He was a top finisher at the 2008 and 2009 Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii, as well. Before all that, he was an entertainment attorney. Now, he’s a full-time wellness and plant-based nutrition advocate and public speaker.
John John Florence lives in the same rarified air. Both tread the waters of global fame. While he may not like pushing his body to its utmost limits as much as Roll, they both have a certain understanding of what it takes to become some of the most accomplished athletes on the planet.
John John has, as you’d imagine, has a special relationship with the sea. “Born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu, literally in the shadow of Pipeline,” Roll wrote, “John John’s relationship with the ocean runs deeper than competition — it’s spiritual, symbiotic, and profoundly instructive about the nature of flow itself.
Last year, Florence made an interesting decision: he decided to step away from the contest circuit. He wasn’t hurt. He wasn’t burned out. He just prioritized what was important in his life and decided to focus on that for a while.
“I’ve decided to focus on surfing in a different way this year,” he said when he announced his break from the tour. “I want to create the time to explore, find new waves, and draw different lines. I intend to compete full on for another world title in 2026, but right now this idea of adventure and creatively pushing my surfing as far as possible is really exciting!”
Over the course of their conversation, Roll and Florence covered many topics. Stepping away from competition at the top of one’s game. The mental challenges that comes with surfing at the highest levels. Sailing — which Florence loves — and how much there is to learn. And of course, they spoke about John’s most important journey: fatherhood.
