Are three world titles enough for Big Daddy John John Florence?
Contrary to what you might’ve thought beforehand there was very little to complain about concerning the WSL Finals Day, held down there in hot and noisy San Clemente where the beautiful girls smoke mentholated cigarettes and the tan boys all look like they just stepped out of a Bruce Weber shoot.
The two number one-rated surfers in the world, John John Florence and Caity Simmers, breezed to their world titles. There was Caity all 110 pounds of hydroelectric power, and big Daddy John John Florence, owner of an ass that would overwhelm even Ethan Ewing’s and with skin like pastry crust, delivering surfing of such joyous purity and energy it hit you right there in the stomach.
(Such a contrast to the herky-jerky turns and handstands of Italo Ferreira.)
But before John John Florence could scoop up the trophy momento of his third world title, captured thirteen years to the very day he received a phone call from the WSL saying he’d qualified for the tour, he was interviewed by in-water personality Strider Wasilewski.
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And it’s here online sleuths claim that John John Florence, in a roundabout way, has signalled his intention to step away from the tour in 2025.
A little preamble, congrats you got three world titles, one for each brother, and then Strider asks:
“This puts me onto the question. Next year, I can’t wait, I mean, Finals are in Fiji, are you looking forward to that?”
Awkward pause.
“Ahhhh…yeah…sounds super fun…yeah…I mean, Fiji is one of the best waves in the world.”
Cue uncomfortable chuckle.
Thoughts?
Do you think Big Daddy has figured three titles is good enough, time to feed his own solar system with his sunburst of energy?
Or, will John John Florence return to his savage best for number four?
JJF is such a soul surfer, who could blame him for walking away, especially since he just had to endure the WSL’s sleaziest move ever, the Final 5 finals format. The whole tour should boycott until this abomination has ended. Will he come back, hope so, he’s the one I tune in for now that KS is gone, and I doubt I am alone in that.
https://youtu.be/eYrMill6usE?si=CwORhwp3nVU91ub1
Guys got 2 choiches, go thru another year of having to put up with the cote’s and turdells etc or jump on his yacht and sail off into the sunset surfing and fishing on his own timetable…
Contests are a perfect stage for John’s magic. Even better than high production films. Seeing him tap in and annihilate a wave live is a different kind of thrill. John’s alchemy turns soulless competition into something divine, apparent even to the untrained eye.
Will John follow his father’s dark path and abandon little Darwin and momma while he chases twelve titles? More idle speculation to follow.
Three is the magic number.
Far more dignified to walk away under one’s own steam.
My new hope for the death of the WSL is for surfing to not get drug further into sports culture and be able to find its own culture again. If a brand like Need can sell enough gear with no logos to surfers that they can afford to make films with Torren then I’m surf we will get all the surf entertainment we the surf community deserves with out the WSL. Please walk away JJF and welcome the end of the worst sports league. Surf>Sports
Retirement. The imminent return of Alejo Muniz has him shaking in his khaki 4 way stretch Expedition Pant with breathable gussets and improved second generation fit(120.00).
I don’t think John will be retiring this year. He was just thrown off by Strider potentially jinxing his final 5 status next year. Imagine how Derek Carr would feel if after his week 1 stomping of the Panthers he was asked how he felt about potentially playing in the Superbowl at home this year.
Also, the CT would be way less stressful on a young family than the slab your. You know exactly when and where you are travelling the whole year vs sporadically chasing last minute swells all over the world. Plus the danger factor of those remote slabs compared to the semi-soft CT schedule. John will be back next year.
There is more than 4 months to the first WSL event at Pipe in late January. Plenty of time for Papa John to hang out with a crying baby and realize that going back to ‘work’ means surfing more.
I do love all the 2025 positive energons floating around St. Hopium here. Sure, everything will be normal and just another day at the wossel….
comments are all so astute I just lurk and nod anymore, nothing to add
And yet you add
genetic flaw
HD or Hawaiian Dreams was on the nose of De Souza’s boards during his championship run! Why does this matter – well it doesn’t. Despite success at the highest level of its team rider, HD is still obscure, if it still exists. Less than 20k tuned in for finals day, while brother Nathan regularly gets an excess of 300k views on his vlogs. Year after year of surfing dribbly mush at the mercy of capricious judging, whilst seeing his brother score historic waves all over the world must take its toll. His brand’s supposed ethos is about adventure, not competition, JJF is about to sail off into the sunset. Good for him, probably good for us too!
Actually a decent suit Chaz
CLOUDBREAK was the opposite to pumping this week ,so mmmmm maybe maybe not.
Money talks etc , X success will dictate the next year or two for JJF.
WSL needs John more than John needs WSL. I’d say he walks away. He’d rather be a father with 3 World Titles than the Goat with an estranged daughter and a son with no name…he already has an estranged father… bye WSL breeder of toxic Surf culture and historical inaccuracies, like “youngest Women’s World Champion ever”…. Amateur night at the Apollo > WSL….time to get jobs kids….
I don’t think you needed to be a sleuth to realise Strider was trying to bait him into a retirement announcement. No way he is, makes no sense while trying to build his brand that’s just starting to take off.
Surfers talk like just because you have a child that you need to retire, it’s nonsense. Children are a reason to keep working.
deffo not retiring.
easy money, marketing for Florence X and Finals Day at Cloudy.
Only a fool and Dane Reynolds turn their back on money for jam.
Agree with that. Just needs to pick up a foot injury for Brazil and the year is set.
May be wise to acquire an ailment for Portugal too.
Oh yes absolutely! How could I forget?
Although, unlike Saqaurema, Supertubos does get good sometimes, so maybe instead of an injury jj opts for an undisclosed “illness” just incase the forecast isn’t 100% shit. Last year it was 10-12ft non-tropical death slabs that just needed offshore wind to be all-time.
If I was JJF, I’d only be surfing triple overhead tropical death slabs and the Aus leg (because of the wife). But that’s just me…
JJF told KHON that he isn’t retiring and is hoping to win five championships. He is dealing with the mind melting stress of competition and his desire to be a good father – something his father wasn’t.
things Beach Grit will never understand in its clickbait mindset.
Y’don’t think the long haul through Australia, Portugal, Arabia, El Salvador etc just to make the cut, which ain’t gonna be easy, might be enough to put the brakes on?
Too easy to show up for Pipe-y’think he will miss that?
Once begun etc etc
Who has ever walked away in his prime?
with, as Rimbaud said: “all hearts opened and all wines flowing”
Yes
Seems like he could breeze through next year. Do the same as this year but minus olympics and Trestles. Pick up a watch/Sailboat spono in Arabia.
Honestly I’d be really surprised if John did surf next year. He doesn’t need to, his legacy is set in stone at this point. He’s got a newborn at home and he’s financially comfortable. The only thing that would drive John to compete more would be ego and he seems to not have a lot of that as well.
There’s a level of surfing outside your skin in high stakes competition that’s surely appealing for all these guys.
Free surfing just isn’t the same.
Yep that’s pretty much what Julian just said. I say John stays.