John John Florence, the biggest contest alley oop ever, Bali

There’s no denying it. The alley oop John John Florence did in the last heat of day one at the Oakley Pro, Bali was the biggest ever done in a jersey. It was an amazing heat, Sea Bass and Miguel Pupo and John John, at really pristine Keramas, and Sea Bass posted a 9.80 and a 9.57 – enough to get you through 99 percent of heats on tour, but not this one. John, with 9.87 under his belt, took off and blasted an air you’ll probably see replayed more often than Kelly’s Bells 10.

“I was in the air, and then I saw the bottom, everything happened so fast and I just landed perfect,” said John afterwards. “I think I claimed it super hard (he did) but I was super stoked. The ankle brace gives me confidence to do things and it’s actually feeling really good now. I’m so stoked to be back in the water, and surfing out here. The waves are amazing. I was sitting up there earlier watching the air wind, and I was super psyched on trying to do an air. But I had to calm myself down not to go out there and try airs the whole time. Then that one came and had that section on it, and I just went for it…”

And, here’s some more collected thoughts:

Beau Emerton: “It was the craziest air I think I have ever seen it my life. I reckon he was three seconds in the air. Sea Bass actually had him on the ropes so he was under a bit of pressure and he just busted the sickest thing I’ve seen.”

Sea Bass: ”I had just had a good one and I was paddling back out and I saw JJ go for the wave. I was sure he was going to pull into the barrel so I paddled over and then Miguel saw it and was totally speechless and I knew that something big had gone down.”

Tom Whitaker, contest director: ”That was one of the craziest things I have seen in surfing. It vindicated my decision to run the contest, despite the onshore.”

Oakley Pro, Bali site here.