After Winning the Meo Rip Curl Pro in Portugal, Teammates Tyler Wright wins Women’s World Title earlier this month and Conner Coffin is runner up at Meo Rip Curl Pro.

Peniche Centre Region, Portugal – October 2016 – Monster Energy congratulates John John Florence, North Shore, Hawaii, on clinching his first World Surf League (WSL) World Title today after winning the Meo Rip Curl Pro in Portugal. Florence joins Monster Energy team rider Tyler Wright who won the women’s World Title earlier this month and dominated the 2016 Women’s World Tour from start to finish, competing as a finalist in six of the season’s nine events. Monster Energy teammate Conner Coffin is the runner up at Meo Rip Curl Pro.

Florence’s monumental win brings the world title back to Hawaii for the first time since Andy Irons won in 2004, and gives the world’s most versatile surfer the well-deserved world title. Florence has proved that not only is he arguably the best freesurfer in the world with his unsurpassed aerial abilities, but he also beat the world’s best big-wave talent earlier this year with his historic win at the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Invitational at North Shore’s iconic Waimea Bay, which is the world’s most prestigious big-wave surfing event, and has backed up his competition talents with his world title win.

“My whole life has gone toward this,” said Florence. “I can’t believe I’m the World Champion. That was my goal. This is my dream.

Heading into the last days of competition, Florence needed to make the final and Jordy Smith couldn’t win the contest for Florence to win the title. The pressure was on, and for every heat Florence advanced, so did Smith. All signs pointed to a final’s showdown. But Coffin had another plan and dropped a last-minute 9 against Smith in the semifinals. The buzzer sounded and the race was over. Florence breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed his Hawaiian flag and was surprisingly calm in the wake of the biggest moment of his life. It was all sinking in.

“I honestly can’t believe it right now. It’s obviously not sunk in just yet. I am so stoked,” said Florence. I have so many people to thank: my mom, family, and friends. It’s 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.”

Florence will head home as the fourth Hawaiian to ever win the world title, and have the luxury of a pressure-free North Shore season.

Florence has been competing on the WSL Championship Tour since he was 16. He finished third in the WSL rankings in 2014, and 14th in 2015. At only 24-years old Florence will continue to be a major threat on the WSL for many years to come.