These days, only one person can draw more attention than John John Florence at his home break, and that is 11-time world champion Kelly Slater.
More than 3,000 fans gathered at Ehukai Beach on Monday, not only to watch Slater do his thing at the place he blazed to victories in three different decades but also to watch Florence stake his claim to a second straight world title. The first round of the Billabong Pipe Masters also was packed with fans anticipating the performances of the three other contenders for Florence’s throne.
Both Florence, the yearlong points leader who has never won a Pipe Masters, and Slater, who has won seven, advanced all the way to the third round with victories in their three-man heats.
South Africa’s Jordy Smith, No. 3 in the rankings with an outside shot at the world crown, also won his heat with the day’s highest two-wave total of 16.57. The two others in world-title contention did not win their heats and now face elimination in the second round. Losses there by No. 2 Gabriel Medina of Brazil or No. 4 Julian Wilson of Australia when competition resumes would finish their world-title hopes.
“The crowd support is amazing and I’m seeing everybody I’ve grown up with and all my idols,” said Florence, who controls his own destiny in the race. “I feel good. I feel comfortable, but you can never get too comfortable on this wave.”
Florence scored with two long tube rides, including one that went for a 7.17 at Backdoor in the 8- to 12-foot-plus waves. He was asked if he saw that the closest contender, Medina, came up short in his heat.
“Yeah I noticed, but it doesn’t really mean anything,” Florence said. “He still has round two.”
Florence is prepared for whatever kind of waves Mother Nature throws at Pipe.
“I’m more prepared than ever,” he said. “If it’s 1 foot, onshore with a north swell, the worst it could be, or 10 foot, offshore and west swell, the best it can be, I feel good either way.”
Slater, who is recovering from a foot injury and hadn’t competed since July, is a clear and present danger to win his eighth Pipe Masters.
“I’ve missed competition,” Slater said. “But after so many years of nonstop, day in, day out, week in and and week out, it’s been kind of nice to have a few months off. It’s nice to get back, but it’s nice to get away from something that you love and get back and appreciate it.”
At No. 23, Brazil’s Miguel Pupo, who is one spot away from the cutline (No. 22) for requalification on next year’s tour, helped himself with the best wave of the day, a deep Pipe barrel for a 9.93. It may have been a good omen, since his best wave ever here came in 2013, a 9.77 that helped him qualify for the tour for the first time.
“That (2013 wave) was a lower score, but a bigger day, really clean,” he said. “Everyone, including (former two-time world champion) Tom Carroll, told me it was a 10. It was the wave of my life.”
On Monday, Pupo scored a 14.83 to get past Hawaii wild-card Benji Brand and Medina. Pupo feels fortunate that it was not an elimination round for Medina, his fellow Brazilian who is trying to add a second world title to the one he won in 2014.
“As a Brazilian, I would be really bummed to have bumped him out,” Pupo said.
Honolulu’s Ezekiel Lau also won his first-round heat to get into the third round. Maui’s Dusty Payne placed second in his heat and heads to the second round, and Kauai’s Sebastian Zietz is still waiting for his opening-round appearance.
Florence’s only guaranteed path to the world title is if he wins at Pipe, but he can still wrap it up by finishing lower. The higher Florence places, the harder it will be for Medina, Smith or Wilson to top him for the big prize.
More booty is up for grabs — the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title. It goes to the best surfer in the three season-ending contests. Griffin Colapinto of San Clemente, Calif., is in the lead, with his hometown friend Kolohe Andino in second, followed by Brazil’s Wiggolly Dantas. Connor Coffin of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Brazil’s Filipe Toledo — the winners of the first two Triple Crown stops, the Hawaiian Pro and the Vans World Cup — are Nos. 4 and 5 in the Triple Crown standings.
The Pipe Masters resumes today, conditions permitting, but unfavorable onshore winds are expected, making the green light less likely.
PIPE MASTERS
Champions at Pipeline since
Kelly Slater’s first title
>> 2016: Michel Bourez, Tahiti
>> 2015: Adriano de Souza, Brazil
>> 2014: Julian Wilson, Australia
>> 2013: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 2012: Joel Parkinson, Australia
>> 2011: Kieren Perrow, Australia
>> 2010: Jeremy Flores, France
>> 2009: Taj Burrow, Australia
>> 2008: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 2007: Bede Durbidge, Australia
>> 2006: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2005: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2004: Jamie O’Brien, Hawaii
>> 2003: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2002: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2001: Bruce Irons, Hawaii
>> 2000: Rob Machado, Encinitas, Calif.
>> 1999: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1998: Jake Paterson, Australia
>> 1997: John Gomes, Hawaii
>> 1996: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1995: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1994: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1993: Derek Ho, Hawaii
>> 1992: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
WORLD SURF LEAGUE
World champions since
Kelly Slater’s first title
>> 2016: John John Florence, Hawaii
>> 2015: Adriano de Souza, Brazil
>> 2014: Gabriel Medina, Brazil
>> 2013: Mick Fanning, Australia
>> 2012: Joel Parkinson, Australia
>> 2011: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 2010: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach Fla.
>> 2009: Mick Fanning, Australia
>> 2008: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 2007: Mick Fanning, Australia
>> 2006: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 2005: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 2004: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2003: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2002: Andy Irons, Hawaii
>> 2001: C,J. Hobgood, Melbourne, Fla.
>> 2000: Sunny Garcia, Hawaii
>> 1999: Mark Occhilupo, Australia
>> 1998: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1997: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1996: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1995: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1994: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
>> 1993: Derek Ho, Hawaii
>> 1992: Kelly Slater, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
