Plan coming together?
In shocking news, the World Surf League has just announced that Margaret River favorite, and title hopeful, John John Florence has withdrawn from the rest of the Margaret River event, as well as the upcoming Rip Curl Search Rottnest presented by Corona, citing injury.
In a just released statement, Florence declared:
“Unfortunately, I hurt my left knee on the end section of a wave during my round 16 heat two days ago. I was able to surf the rest of my heat, just kind of feeling it out, but I knew something was off. It’s not the same knee I dealt with last year so that’s good, but with the Olympics coming up this summer I’m going to focus on healing up and getting strong. Thanks to everyone for the support and to Australia for having us. We’re very appreciative and had a great time.”
The Olympics coming up being key.
Students of professional surfing will, no doubt, know that the United States team consists of Florence and Kolohe Andino with the world’s greatest surfer Kelly Slater as first alternate.
Slater, citing a four-year-old foot injury of his own, opted out of the Australian leg and the upcoming World Surfing Games in El Salvador in order to heal by surfing very fine barrels right in front of Florence’s childhood home.
It was posited here, days ago, that he may have calculated the grueling schedule and put himself in position for a sneaky Olympic birth.
Gold his final act?
More as the story develops.
P.S.
I was there in person as a lesbian 🏳️🌈 transgender 🏳️⚧️ media correspondent for OutInPerth.com and I witnessed NO INJURY. This is some kind of cover up and I am waiting for Surfer Magazine forums to approve me telling the full truth and debuting it there. Honestly this may be some kind of backlash about John Florence possibly being gay as noted on John John’s official IMDB page and in truth, John John Florence surfs like a #Leopard in honor of #Vela. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I was there in person as a lesbian 🏳️🌈 transgender 🏳️⚧️ media correspondent for OutInPerth.com and I witnessed NO INJURY. This is some kind of cover up and I am waiting for Surfer Magazine forums to approve me telling the full truth and debuting it there. Honestly this may be some kind of backlash about John Florence possibly being gay as noted on John John’s official IMDB page and in truth, John John Florence surfs like a #Leopard in honor of #Vela.
fuck, wish I’d hung onto this one instead of cashing it out when i thought they were going to surf the small slop the other day.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Even if by some miracle Kelly gets in the Olympics, there is no way he’s bringing home gold. He will, however, attract a new demographic of fans that he can ban from his social media.
I think JJ already has at least a few million socked away in the bank and he could probably live a pretty comfortable lifestyle on just the interest he gets from it, for the rest of his life if he wanted to.
That being said, JJ doesn’t seem to like the lime-light and the cameras a whole lot.
I could easily see him feigning an injury and letting Slater stand under the spotlight and ‘media glare’ at the Olympics, while he goes on another sailing, surf trip some where, away from the cameras.
I take the opposite angle. I think this is all about making the Olympic team. I don’t know how likely this “must compete at world surfing games” thing is as there’s nothing about it whatsoever in the eligibility criteria. He got a place in the Olympics on the back of the 2019 rankings, and the world surfing games is only there to allocate the 5 remaining spots that will go to also-rans from non-powerhouse surfing nations.
I reckon he’s either done this as a “just in case” thing so he can turn up to El Salvador and tick that box, or he’s hedging his bets just in case borders close again and he gets stuck in Australia.
Time will tell……. If they even have the Olympics?…..
This is a load of bullshit. I am here in person and I witnessed no fucking injury. 🏳️🌈I am lesbian transgender and a media correspondent for OutinPerth.com 🏳️⚧️ https://uploads.disquscdn.c… . Something amiss but this is a cover story as John John Florence surfs like a leopard 🐆
I shouldn’t laugh.
Trying to work out
How John John can fit into
Jordy’s Mum’s clothing?
Less JJ more Tia Blanco
This is quite sad news. I am quite upset Emotional.
Is that Uncle Fester under the lip in The Ultimate Surfer ad?
ha ha ha amazing!
He’s been ripping. Agree that Italo is now the favorite, but I think Ryan stands a chance. If he doesnt choke.
Or has John simply taken a leaf from Kelly’s book and cooked up an injury to avoid the isa El Salvador debacle and buy some time to practise small wave surfing from the comfort of a hawaiin summer?
Yep, this “injury” has dashed any hopes of baldy getting his precious Olympic berth. Sorry kel.
Kolohe and jj will just kick back sipping margaritas, possibly in El salvador, then turn up for the US team photo and get on the plane to Tokyo.
Where’s the article titled: ‘The Unwatchable WSL Tour Becomes even more Unwatchable”
Gold his final act? How ’bout: Fool’s gold falling flat!
Getting your appetite elsewhere but still coming home to eat, respect Jen.
That’s getting dangerously close to Wigg’s lane buddy.
Haha, backing away slowly …
Yeah fake news my bad
Looks like it might run today too
It’s obvious this is allowing jjf to get out of dodge so that he makes the olympics. And all it costs him is a throwaway result anyhow.
he’s out of the remaining two events. He’s already has two early losses. Don’t see your point. His championship chances are basically over, unless Gabriel and Ítalo get injured too.
He’s currently third in the world and will place higher than medina in this event. Withdrawing now doesnt give him a 33rd place. All He’s doing is making rottnest a throwaway result.
He already has two throwaways. Rottnest will be the third. That’s why I don’t get your point. In title race math, anything less than a quarter final is a throwaway.
Also, quarter final isn’t great either when you have the likes of Gabriel and Ítalo in the mix.
His worst result so far is a 17th at Newcastle. This is event #4, where he will get 5th place. He won pipe and 9th at Narrabeen.
So he’s going to be banking a 17th, 9th, 5th and 1st by the end of Rottnest.
Remember he only needs to finish top 5 to get a ticket to the finals at Trestles. Who really cares if Italo wins every other event until Trestles, it really doesn’t matter (I don’t really like the final 5 thing but it is what it is).
Cibilic, Coffin, Igrarashi are all out already so will all lose ground on him by the end of this event. In the case of Cibilic and Coffin, they’ll get a 17th so they will be banking a 17th same as JJF.
Yeah maybe Jordy and Toledo make up some ground on him this event but they have to win their heats first.
I see, but if finishes third, he’ll have to beat number 4 and 2, and win two heats out of three against number 1. Number 1 and 2 likely being Ítalo and Gabriel. Number 4
being Toledo, Jordy or Kanoa, etc. All that at Trestles which is more similar to Newcastle than to Margareth River.
You are right that he can get a place at the surf off, but I think it’s very unlikely that he’ll win in such circumstances.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about being against John, I just don’t get your optimistism regarding the numbers. He was 11,000 points behind Gabriel, had two throwaways before the injury, and only made up less than 2,000 of the deficit in Margareth River. Now he’s going to miss Rottnest.
It’s not just a throwaway. It’s going to feature in the maty at the end of the year.
Unless both Gabriel and Ítalo get injured, suffer an unprecedented slump or the judges go absolutely shameless against them, I don’t see John having much of a chance of a title this year.
3 injured , and no El Salvador/ISA World games for them…….do they still have to go to El salvador to carry the flag?
But that would imply they’re part of a team.
The door is open for Ryan to win this event. Hope he delivers.
that could be his Main Break performance!
Cola’ time.
Woud be really cool as well.
He’s really grown on me. Wouldn’t be surprised if he gets an event win at some point.
If he can cut the daily loaf in time for his heat!
Hahaha
I’m go with Claim Master!
Can’t wait to see his last wave in the final!
I don’t understand why Kelly is so obsessed with embarassing himself in those shitty waves. He doesn’t stand a chance whatsoever.