John John Florence, a surfing star from Hawaii, seldom needs a formal introduction. The surfer is not just a two-time WSL world champion, but he also excels in large-wave competitions. After losing to Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina in the quarterfinals of the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro, the Hawaiian surfer’s 2023 season is over. On the other hand, he had a fantastic 2023 season and has qualified for the 2024 Olympics in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.

Two-time world champion John John Florence is featured in a new video released by the World Surf League after the Tahiti Pro. The Hawaiian surfer in the video candidly discusses surfing at Teahupo’o, often regarded as among the world’s most treacherous breaks.

Surfing the waves that are double the size of a human being

Located on the southwestern coast of Tahiti in French Polynesia is the town of Teahupo’o. This spot in the southern Pacific is famous for its surf break and heavy, smooth waves that often exceed 7 feet and have been reported to exceed 22 feet in height. The first few seconds of the Instagram video featuring John John Florence, a two-time WSL world champion, contained shots of the Tahitian waves that will host the 2024 Olympics. Since barrel rides are a regular but challenging surf technique at Teahupo’o, the video also included one performed by the Hawaiian surfer.

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The Hawaiian surfer claims that Teahupo’o is unlike any other surfing spot in the world due to the “power” of the ocean and its “unique” waves. In addition to describing the Tahitian wave as “one of the most machine-like waves in the world,” he describes a pattern in the wave’s size from tiny to large. Tahiti’s waves are no laughing matter, though; the video’s surfer claims they may reach heights of 25 feet, making them among the world’s most terrifying. And Florence can’t wait for the 2024 Olympics to be hosted in Tahiti, where the unpredictable waves of Teahupo’o will further add to the competition’s difficulty.

Due to his outstanding performance in the 2023 WSL season, John John Florence is one of the few American surfers to qualify for the 2024 Olympics. On his most recent quest, Florence was doing well until he ran across Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina at the Tahiti Pro.

Not a perfect ending to his 2023 season

The first rounds of the Tahiti Pro were just clinched by John John Florence. Even more impressively, he advanced to the quarterfinals of the Tahitian WSL tournament by eliminating Rio Waida of Indonesia in the round of 16. The Hawaiian surfer’s quarterfinal matchup was an exciting wave fight with Gabriel Medina.

Medina got things going with a great 8.33 on the opening wave of the heat, but Florence didn’t find his rhythm until the fourth wave of the contest. The Hawaiian surfer posted a 4.60 on the fourth wave of the heat, but Medina came back with a 7.77 on the sixth. The Hawaiian surfer’s trip was over, but he wanted to finish on a high note by putting up a decent surf, but he only managed a 4.60 on his ninth attempt. Although Medina qualified ahead of Florence, Australian surfer Jack Robinson won the final and earned a spot in the 2023 Rip Curl Finals.

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