Breaking: John John Florence Will NOT Be Surfing On The 2026 Championship Tour
Is this it?
69 days ago, we announced the unthinkable.
After taking a year away from the Championship Tour and sailing across the world, 3x World Champion and 2x Olympian John John Florence would be returning to competition in 2026, after taking 2025 as a hiatus following his 2024 world title.
“For some reason, it began to feel like he might never come back,” we wrote in the article.
“Maybe it’s hard to believe that anyone would ever want to stop sailing the world, chasing perfect tropical waves with their happy little family.”
It sounded too good to be true, but it was true. So we speculated… Maybe he was more competitive than everyone realized? Maybe he was planting seeds to compete in the 2028 Olympics? Maybe he did still have something to prove?
Aside from a basic press release from the WSL, we never got a clear answer on why he was returning… until today, when he announced, once and for all, that he would not actually be returning.
“Exploring with my family we learned new ways of living, saw new places, found waves for all three of us, and woke up most days just excited to see more, and do it all together,” said John, in the announcement.
“It really confirmed for us that this is our dream right now. We’ve decided to continue in 2026 with the goal of hopefully making a full lap of the world. I want to become a better surfer; I want to become the best father I can be and combine it all with nonstop adventure and curiosity.”
Surprised? Not exactly.
Saddened? Very much so.
Since his first event as a CT wildcard in 2008, John Florence has surfed in 110 World Tour events, persevering through multiple catastrophic knee injuries to win 282 heats, 10 events, and three World Titles. He won two A.I Commitment Awards ( 2017, 2013), one Rookie of the Year ( 2012), five Surfer Poll trophies, ( 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014), and five Vans Triple Crowns ( 2021, 2020, 2016, 2013, 2011).
“A couple of those years he was injured, he was way ahead in the rankings,” said Kolohe Andino in How Surfers Get Paid.
“At least two of those years he would’ve won,” said Nathan Florence. “Just based on how far ahead he was on the leaderboard.”
“He would’ve had at least two more,” agreed Matt Biolos.
“I think he would’ve had four titles if he hadn’t got injured,” said Darren Handley.
In 2024 — John’s last season on tour — he finaled at Pipe, won in El Salvador, and finished the year over 3,000 points ahead of World #2 Griffin Colapinto. He then dominated Italo Ferreira in both of their Lowers title matches to officially earn the crown.
Though we didn’t realize it at the time, John’s 9-point turn against Italo to win his 3rd World Title may possibly have marked the last time we’ll see him surf as a full time competitor on the CT.
Is this retirement for the 33-year-old?
Per John’s announcement, no.
“This means I won’t be competing full time on the Tour this year,” he wrote. “I’m grateful to the WSL for their support. This isn’t retirement, just continuing down a different path for now.”
Either way, we’d say it’s likely that we’ll see John in numerous Pipe contests going forward, perhaps a few CT wildcards, and almost certainly The Eddie.
So what’s next for John?
We’ll have an exclusive interview with the man himself on site in 24 hours, where we’ll learn more about the motivations behind this decision and what lies ahead for the world’s best surfer.
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