John John Florence validated his position at the pinnacle of his sport Friday after a seven-year gap.
The Oahu North Shore native claimed his third career World Surfing League world title by defeating Brazil’s Italo Ferreira in two straight heats in the final pairing at Lower Trestles, Calif.
After hoisting the WSL trophy on the championship platform, the yellow-shirted Florence was asked to find his name etched among the list of past winners.
“It’s pretty far back,” Florence remarked of his triumphs in 2016 and 2017.
Florence joined a list of men's world three-time winners that includes Kelly Slater, Mark Richards, Tom Curren, Andy Irons, Mick Fanning and Gabriel Medina. His win also ended a run of five straight men's WSL world championships won by Brazilians, a streak that began right after Florence's last title.
“It’s been a really hard road getting here,” Florence said. “A lot of injuries, a lot of just down times, but I couldn’t have done it without my family and my team surrounding me.”
Florence, 31, coming off an appearance for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered the Lexus WSL’s Finals as the top men’s seed based on WSL Championship Tour regular-season results. As has been the case since 2022 for a single-day, winner-take-all event, the No. 1 seed waits for the rest of the five-competitor staggered bracket to resolve before facing a single opponent for the crown.
The fifth and last seed Ferreira defeated Ethan Ewing, Jack Robinson and Griffin Colapinto in succession to earn a shot against Florence.
In light wind and 4- to 6-foot waves, Florence edged Ferreira 15.50 to 15.33 in Heat 1, then raised his surfing a level to win Heat 2, 18.13 to 16.30. He led off the second heat with a wave score of 9.70 out of 10.
“Coming into this event, is really stressful,” Florence said. “You feel sick every day leading up to it. It feels really good for it to be done and to win again. Thank you to all the fans … it was really fun surfing and hearing everyone yelling when you finish a wave. Thanks to the WSL for putting on this incredible event. Thanks for stressing me out.”
Florence won back-to-back WSL world titles in 2016 and 2017 but fell off somewhat in the years since, due partially to injury troubles.
He enjoyed a resurgent 2024 that included a win at the Surf City El Salvador Pro in June, soon after the birth of his son, Darwin, followed by participation in the Paris Games in at Teahupo’o, Tahiti in July.
It was Florence’s first time participating in the WSL’s modern postseason format. Brazil’s Filipe Toledo had won the first two years while Ferreira was also a finalist in 2022.
While he waited his turn, there was plenty of time for old doubts to creep in.
“You win (a title), and then the next morning you wake up and it feels like everything starts over again,” he said. “That’s what I learned after my second one. Then seven years goes by, and a couple injuries. Being back in this position, like ‘wow I’m here,’ and then questioning myself daily, ‘should I be here, can I do this?’ And then … ‘I’m just gonna surf,’ like I surf with my friends and brothers at home. That’s really my happy place.”
In Friday’s women’s final, 18-year-old Caitlin Simmers defeated Caroline Marks in an all-American matchup. Simmers won Heats 2 and 3 after Marks – last year’s winner who beat Hawaii’s Carissa Moore in the final – claimed Heat 1.
Kauai’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, the women’s surfing silver medalist at the Paris Games, was the women’s No. 5 seed and beat Molly Picklum, then fellow Hawaii resident Brisa Hennessy before falling to Marks, the No. 2 seed.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.