WSL CT title chasers will be licking their lips at their prospective chances of becoming a world champion this year as last season’s winner John John Florence just announced on social media that he will be taking a year off to focus on exploring new waves and drawing different lines.
John joins arch rival Gabriel Medina on the sidelines, who recently underwent surgery on a pectoral injury. However, unlike John, there is no specific timeline on when we may see Gabby compete again and there is still a chance he will surf in the 2025 season.
This leaves the door wide open for a number of title competitors. John and Gabby currently have three world titles each to their names and would’ve been odds on favourite’s to make the WSL final five.
In an Instagram post, John wrote: “I’ve decided to focus on surfing in a different way this year. 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! The ocean is so big and there are so many different types of waves to explore. I’m stoked to be filming into some new projects and planning to share the amazing places we get to go along the way.”
Outside of competition John is a busy man. Alongside his brothers Nathan and Ivan, they’re constantly testing new products under the Florence Marine brand and both Nathan and Ivan spent 2024 chasing some of the heaviest slabs in the world. The public have been crying out for John to join his brothers on the ‘slab tour’ which has been regularly documented on Nathan’s YouTube and gained hundreds of thousands of views. It looks like surf fans may just get their wish.
John’s exclusion from this season’s CT also has an impact at the bottom of the rankings. Due to Medina’s injury, his spot would go to #23 on the 2024 CT, Samuel Pupo, if he pulls out for the entirety of 2025. However, since Sammy already requalified via the Challenger Series, the additional spot would pass go to the next surfer in line on the CS — Al Cleland Jr.
However, if Gabby pulls out on an event by event basis, his spot would go to Ian Gentil, who was last year’s #24 on the CT. But with John now pulling out, this could open the door for both Ian and Al to compete regularly on the 2025 CT.
With the waiting period for the Lexus Pipe Pro on 27 January, I’m sure we will receive more news on who’s going to take John and Gabby’s spots in the coming days.
