While Conner Coffin's Semifinal victory over Jordy Smith at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Tuesday handed the World Title Trophy over to an ecstatic John John Florence in Portugal, the California rookie wasn't about to give World Champ an easy Final. Coffin applied early pressure on Florence with a draining Supertubos barrel, earning an 8.6. John John, however, responded above the lip. The Hawaiian eventually found the hang-time he was looking for later in the Final, earning 9.5 with a massive alley-oop, and the World Champ ended his perfect day with a win.
Still, Conner overcame a major obstacle today in Peniche. His second-place result at the MEO Rip Curl Pro pushed him into the No. 19 spot on the Jeep Leaderboard. With the Top 22 earning a slot on the 2017 Championship Tour, the rookie's requalification dreams are now a reality.