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It took him six\u00a0years, but 2 John Florence<\/strong> has finally won his first world surfing title.<\/p>\n His placing into the final at the MEO Rip Curl Pro<\/strong> (and ultimately winning the event) has earned him an excess of points that puts him above the rest of the field of his peers, claiming the world title. This sweet victory sends him into his favorite stop on the World Tour, and into his own backyard, the infamous Pipeline. A win there would surely be the cherry on top of an incredible season.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n For the official word from Florence’s wrist-based time keeping device\u00a0sponsor and more words from the privately owned entertainment company responsible for producing these surfing events, please follow the jump. After several impressive years surfing on the World Surf League tour, Nixon team rider, John John Florence has earned his first WSL title at MEO Rip Curl Pro in Portugal. John kicked off his season winning the legendary Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Invitational in February. From there, he launched into the WSL tour, claiming the podium at the Oi Rio Pro in May, while regularly seeing himself land in the top five throughout the tour.<\/p>\n His placing into the final at the MEO Rip Curl Pro (and ultimately winning the event) has earned him an excess of points the puts him above the rest of the field of his peers, claiming the world title. This sweet victory sends him into his favorite stop on the World Tour, and into his own backyard, the infamous Pipeline. A win there would surely be the cherry on top of an incredible season.<\/p>\n Born on the North Shore and raised on Pipeline, John\u2019s raw talent for surfing was obvious at a young age. John joined the tour in 2011 and claimed Rookie of the Year in 2012. He is one of the most influential surfers of our time, and we are proud to have him as a part of the Nixon family. Congratulations, John!<\/p>\n Here’s\u00a0more from the privately owned surf content generation and event production company. . .<\/p>\n SUPERTUBOS, Peniche\/Portugal (Tuesday, October 25, 2016) – John John Florence (HAW)<\/strong>, 22, today clinched the 2016 World Surf League (WSL) Title in dramatic fashion with a victory at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal in Peniche, marking the first time a Hawaiian has held the world surfing crown since the late\u00a0Andy Irons (HAW)<\/strong>\u00a0in 2004.<\/p>\n \u201cI honestly can\u2019t believe it right now, it\u2019s obviously not sunk in just yet,\u201d Florence said.\u00a0“I know my mom and family are watching online right now and I really wish they were here with me.\u00a0I\u2019m so stoked.\u00a0I\u2019ve worked my whole life towards this and I have so many people to thank for this.\u201d<\/p>\n Florence\u2019s season started out slowly with mediocre results across the Australian leg before posting a victory in Brazil in May. The Hawaiian carried the momentum of his Rio de Janeiro win to strong showings in Jeffreys Bay (2nd), Tahiti (2nd) and France (3rd) while challengers\u00a0Gabriel Medina (BRA)<\/strong>,\u00a0Matt Wilkinson (AUS)<\/strong>,\u00a0Jordy Smith (ZAF)\u00a0<\/strong>and 11-time WSL Champion\u00a0Kelly Slater (USA)<\/strong>\u00a0failed to maintain consistency, eventually falling out of reach in Portugal.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a long year, but one of the best years in my life, so many fun events and just having a really good time all together and I\u2019ve learned so much,\u201d he continued. \u201cI was expecting it to go to Hawaii and I was just trying to keep surfing through heats.\u201d<\/p>\n A six-year competitor on the elite WSL Championship Tour, the Hawaiian had been threatening the throne since his inception in 2011 having previously finished 4th (2012) and 3rd (2014). Seemingly destined for surfing excellence since stepping foot on board at two years young, Florence has spent the last two decades evolving into one of the most dynamic talents the sport has ever seen.<\/p>\n \u201cMy whole life has gone into this, everything I\u2019ve done but just this year especially, learning so much about competitive surfing, focusing completely on it and having so much help and support, it\u2019s been amazing.\u201d Florence added. \u201cThe title was my goal this year so at this point I\u2019m just going to go out and have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n FLORENCE 2016 WSL CT RESULTS<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong> FLORENCE CAREER WSL CT FINISHES:<\/strong> The newly crowned WSL Champion took on rookie\u00a0Conner Coffin (USA)<\/strong>, 23, in an exciting Final where the two surfers adopted different strategies for the final bout of the European leg. Florence took things to the air with numerous massive rotations while Coffin kept chasing the tubes, successfully navigating a deep one for an excellent 8.60. Florence\u2019s flair peaked in the Final with a huge alley-oop for a 9.50 and the win. Coffin secured a career-high runner-up spot on the Championship Tour and rocketed to No. 19 on the Jeep Leaderboard.<\/p>\n \u201cThis feels amazing, I love Portugal, the waves are so fun and the people are amazing, food\u2019s good, it feels kind of like California and I feel right at home here,\u201d Coffin said. \u201cObviously I know John and everyone in his camp from Hurley and Pyzel but I wasn\u2019t thinking of his title too much in my semifinal heat. I was focusing on doing my job, I had a lot to do here in this event to stay on tour for next year so that was my goal. \u201d<\/p>\n World No. 3\u00a0Jordy Smith (ZAF)<\/strong>, 28, couldn\u2019t match Coffin\u2019s rhythm in their Semifinal clash despite excellent surfing in the Supertubos barrels and was forced out in third position, putting an end to his World Title campaign for 2016.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really happy with that result, obviously I would have loved to go to Hawaii to fight for the title but I\u2019ll take it,\u201d Smith admitted. \u201cI started as an injury wildcard this year so I\u2019m just glad to be back surfing at my best and to end with a title shot is really an achievement so I\u2019m happy with this year. I\u2019m still fighting to try to get second so i\u2019ll continue up to Pipe. After the season ends I just want to take some time off and regroup and try to improve in every aspect that I can towards next season.\u201d<\/p>\n Kolohe Andino (USA)<\/strong>, 22, secured his second consecutive Semifinal berth following his performance in France, but once again fell just short of reaching the Final, eliminated in this morning\u2019s opening heat by Florence. With a third place in Peniche, the Californian cements his World No.5 position before the final event of the season in Hawaii.<\/p>\n The next and final stop on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour will be the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons from December 8 – 20, 2016.<\/p>\n
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\nQuiksilver Pro Gold Coast:<\/strong>\u00a05th
\nRip Curl Pro Bells Beach:<\/strong>\u00a013th
\nDrug Aware Margaret River Pro:<\/strong>\u00a013th
\nOi Rio Pro:<\/strong>\u00a0WINNER
\nFiji Pro:<\/strong>\u00a05th
\nJ-Bay Open:<\/strong>\u00a02nd
\nBillabong Pro Tahiti:<\/strong>\u00a02nd
\nHurley Pro at Trestles:<\/strong>\u00a013th
\nQuiksilver Pro France:<\/strong>\u00a03rd
\nMeo Rip Curl Pro Portugal:<\/strong>\u00a0WINNER
\nBillabong Pipe Masters:\u00a0<\/strong>TBD<\/p>\n
\n2011:\u00a0<\/strong>34th
\n2012:\u00a0<\/strong>4th
\n2013:\u00a0<\/strong>10th
\n2014:\u00a0<\/strong>3rd
\n2015:\u00a0<\/strong>14th
\n2016:\u00a0<\/strong>WSL CHAMPION<\/p>\n