SURFER: IVAN FLORENCE PHOTO: RYAN CRAIG The Florence brothers have always done a good job of presenting a unified front. A harmonious brotherhood raised by their mother, Alex, on a staple diet of Ehukai Beach Park shoreys before they could chew on meatier stuff out at Pipe. Since then, John John, Nathan and Ivan have taken on the world and triumphed, dialling into some secret, fraternal formula, which has propelled each of them to unfathomable performance heights. But amidst all the bonhomie and the perpetual ‘aw shucks ain’t we lucky’ smiles surely there must have been the odd battle for bragging rights over the dinner table. The occasional claim over a bowl of poke, a boastful chest beat whilst tossing aside a chicken wing?  Did ‘Mom’ sometimes have to step in and settle a dispute? If there ever was an informal score kept for Florence family wins then perhaps the records would state. ‘Best competitive surfer’ – John John. Best exploitation of the free surfing career route – Nathan. Best all-round on a board – Ivan, given his evolved skateboarding skills. The wave pictured also suggests Ivan has a solid claim to another title – ‘Best beard’. Maybe that makes him the overall winner. SURFER: SAM JONES PHOTO: BILL MORRIS Like many lensmen, Bill Morris had fallen under the Deadman’s spell. The lurching, city-beach slab with the lottery-dip take-off, death-rattling rocks and gaping pits has all the elements for a jaw-dropping image. And given the high-density surrounds there’s no shortage of speculators happy to huck over the ledge and deal with whatever evil twist of Pacific Ocean fate is thrown their way. Until recently, Bill was happy to take aim from an elevated perch, up on those vertical cliffs, which make the setting all the more daunting for surfers. However, watching from on high he couldn’t help but feel a challenge was being laid before him. At 64 the retired fireman is surf fit and ocean-tuned, dividing his time between the competing passions of riding waves and pulling focus. So, next swell Bill decided he’d patch-up an old rescue board and skirt out with a 70-200mm lens in a camera housing and shoot sidelong into the eye of Deadman’s. “It was a total workout. I almost got cleaned up paddling around The Bower when I didn’t quite paddle wide enough and a big set came through,” admits Bill. “It was … Read more