John John Florence Withdraws from World Surf League Tour

“I’ve decided to focus on surfing in a different way this year,” JJF captioned the clip. “I want to create the time to explore, find new waves, and draw different lines. I intend to compete full on for another world title in 2026, but right now this idea of adventure and creatively pushing my surfing as far as possible is really exciting! The ocean is so big and there are so many different types of waves to explore. I’m stoked to be filming into some new projects and planning to share the amazing places we get to go along the way.”

In addition to winning his third world title, a lot has changed for Florence in the last year. First and foremost, he and his wife Lauryn welcomed a baby boy, Darwin. Next, his namesake brand Florence began to flourish – opening a flagship store in Hawaii, and welcoming Nathan Florence to the team.

All of which has led to speculation on John’s competitive drive for 2025.

Following Florence's announcement to step away from full-time competition, the World Surf League released that Alan Cleland Jr., the first Mexican surfer to join the CT full-time, will be taking his spot. They also disclosed that "Florence will receive the 2026 Season Wildcard, which will allow him to compete in the 2026 CT season."

The announcement today is reminiscent of a few years back, when John previously stepped away from full-time competition, rather to sail around the Pacific in search of waves. Is this what the plan looks like for 2025? Or, if his younger brother Nathan would have it, “Slab Tour 2025 is on.”

Whatever the case, we’ll be watching.