Something You Won’t See This Month: John John In Rio

See that picture up there, of John John Florence in a Billabong jersey, spinning over a beachbreak in Rio De Janeiro (shot by ASP/Kirstin)? It’s something you won’t be seeing in 2013. “I wasn’t getting good waves,” says John John in a Hurley Tournotes video from the Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast back in March. In the video, he’s watching the Expression Session in which he dusted his ankle. “The announcers were freaking out that everyone was doing airs. So I got excited and wanted to do an air. So I tried an air. Um, I landed in the flats. And right there (pauses video), my back leg is still on my board but it’s folded. It happens when you do airs. Could happen anywhere.” The video ends with the Hawaiian saying, “Pretty sure I’ll be back by Bells… hopefully.” Which, as it turns out, ain’t gonna be the case. Despite spending the last seven weeks rehabing in Cali and Hawaii, doing little more than releasing a clip (below) and filming his family and friends surfing, we’ve just learned that John John has officially withdrawn from the Billabong Pro, Rio due to his ankle still not being fully healed. “I am going to take my time and wait for my ankle to heal 100 percent before competing,” he says. “I am looking forward to being healthy and ready for Fiji and the rest of the year.” Who’s more heartbroken – he, or us?