Here’s The Deal With John Florence’s Tahiti Knee Injury

Pulling through his last wave in the final of the Billabong Pro Tahiti, John John Florence immediately reached for his right knee.

“I heard it pop,” he said while paddling back out.

He then made his way back to the lineup where he was in obvious discomfort. Unaware of the situation, Kelly Slater caught another wave (another 9-point ride). The caddies in the channel informed him of John’s situation as he paddled back out.

“Is he okay?” asked Kelly with concern.

Back out in the lineup Kelly immediately asked John about his knee. With no foreseeable path to victory and time ticking away, John conceded the heat before the horn sounded. He climbed onto the back of a ski driven by Koa Smith, where he was last seen rubbing the inside of his right knee.

Back on the point at Teahupoo for the awards ceremony, John was able to walk onto the podium on his own power. He flew home to Hawaii the day after the contest, assumedly to begin whatever rehab is required.

By all accounts the injury isn’t as severe as a “pop” in the knee could be, but as he’s just taken over the top spot in the WSL ratings and the Hurley Pro is just two weeks away, it could be cause for concern. For John and pro surfing’s sake, let’s hope it’s just a minor bump in the road and he’s back at 100 percent for the rest of this growingly exciting title race.