That fact that John John Florence is now a World Champion is far from surprising. After all, no surfer in the sport's history has been spotted, recruited, indoctrinated, motivated, instructed, graphed, charted, and documented like John John. He's a product of the world's most famous surf break, and a tight-knit community of wave warriors, watermen and wonderful women. John was bred to be a champion, and he didn't disappoint.
But while it always looked inevitable on paper, there's that pesky matter of heading out into the world and living up to expectations. Life throws everyone curveballs, and John John has had his: broken back, bum knees, busted ankles. They all took a toll and played a role in shaping his outlook, which today, seems healthier than ever. "It's about finding that balance of enjoying it and having a competitive mindset," says Florence. "That's when you're going to be the happiest. That's when you are going to surf your best."
The crew at Hurley paid tribute to their star team rider with this beautiful little look back at his approach to this season. Enjoy.