JOHN JOHN FLORENCE WINS HIS 2nd WORLD TITLE! 335PM. JEREMY FLORENCE UPSETS GABRIEL MEDINA’S HOPES IN THE QUARTERS.

NOT SINCE SLATER WON BACK TO BACK IN 2010-11 HAS ANYONE WON 2 IN A ROW. “ITS JUST BEEN AN AWESOME YEAR, IM SO STOKED” JJF

BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu, Hawaii/USA (Monday, December 18, 2017) – John John Florence (HAW) clinched the 2017 World Surf League (WSL) Title today at the Billabong Pipe Masters, making him the first male surfer since the late Andy Irons (HAW) to successfully defend a maiden world title (Irons was ’02, ’03). Mark Richards (AUS), Tom Carroll (AUS) and Tom Curren (USA) are the only other male surfers to have achieved this feat.

Florence’s season started out with strong results during the Australian leg including his first event win of the year in Margaret River. After two 13th place finishes in Rio and Fiji, steadily improving results through the remainder of the season with a 5th place in both Jeffreys Bay and Tahiti followed by Semifinal berths at Trestles and in France saw Florence reclaim the Jeep Leader Jersey from closest rival Jordy Smith (ZAF). Challengers Smith, Owen Wright (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Adriano de Souza (BRA) all suffered early eliminations in Portugal, falling out of reach of the title, while contenders Gabriel Medina (BRA), Julian Wilson (AUS), and Smith couldn’t deliver the results required to block Florence at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii.

A seven-year competitor on the elite WSL Championship Tour, the Hawaiian claimed his maiden title in 2016 with a win in Portugal having previously finished 4th (2012) and 3rd (2014). With this second title, the surfing world is eyeing the beginning of a new dynasty in high-performance surfing.

In addition to cementing his status as the best surfer on the planet, Florence spends his free time and celebrity working toward ocean health initiatives and environmental causes.

Florence claimed his second World Title today when France’s Jeremy Flores eliminated World No. 2 Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Quarterfinals of the Billabong Pipe Masters. Florence is also still in the running for the prestigious Billabong Pipe Masters crown, and had to interrupt World Title celebrations to paddle out for his Semifinal.

FLORENCE 2017 WSL CT RESULTS –
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: 3rd
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro: WINNER
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: 3rd
Oi Rio Pro: 13th
Fiji Pro: 13th
Corona Open J-Bay: 5th
Billabong Pro Tahiti: 5th
Hurley Pro at Trestles: 3rd
Quiksilver Pro France: 3rd
Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal: 5th
Billabong Pipe Masters: TBD

FLORENCE CAREER WSL CT FINISHES:
2011: 34th
2012: 4th
2013: 10th
2014: 3rd
2015: 14th
2016: WSL CHAMPION
2017: WSL CHAMPION

MONDAY FINALS: LITE ONSHORE SEABREEZES AND 3-4′ NW AT 13 SECONDS….SNN

– ROUND 4 WAS CALLED ON FOR 8 AM
– NEXT PIPE MASTER TO BE DECIDED BY 4PM
– WATCH LIVE AT WORLDSURFLEAGUE.COM

With the WSL Title on the line today, 2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) will face 2010 Pipe Master Jeremy Flores (FRA) and compatriot Italo Ferreira (BRA) in Round 4 Heat 3 of the Billabong Pipe Masters.
Credit: © WSL / Poullenot

Location:	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu/Hawaii
Event window:	December 8 – 20, 2017
Today’s call:	Finals Day called ON (conditions permitting), Round 4 starting at 8 AM
Conditions:	4 – 6 foot

BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu, Hawaii/USA (Monday, December 18, 2017) – Finals Day at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons, the final stop on the 2017 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) and the capstone event of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (VTCS), has been called ON (conditions permitting) for an 8:00 a.m. HST start, beginning with Round 4 in four-to-six foot (1.2 – 1.8 metre) waves at the world-famous Banzai Pipeline.

“We are ON and the waves are looking great, very clean and overhead,” said WSL Commissioner, Kieren Perrow. “Fingers crossed the wind will stay good and we can finish today with the Final hitting the water at 3:20 p.m. HST. After yesterday’s high points, today will prove even more exciting as we watch the title race unfold and hope to crown the 2017 World Champion, Billabong Pipe Master and this year’s Vans Triple Crown champion, all in one afternoon.”

The WSL Men’s Title represents the culmination of the journey for all surfers and is the product of a year-long battle amongst the world’s best surfers to claim sport’s highest honor and join a list of the most revered individuals in all of surfing. After exciting battles yesterday, there are now only two surfers in contention to win the WSL Title: John John Florence (HAW) and Gabriel Medina (BRA).

World Title scenarios after elimination Round 3 of the Billabong Pipe Masters:
– If Florence gets 1st or 2nd at Pipe he will clinch the World Title;
– If Florence gets a 3rd, Medina will need a 1stat Pipe to win the World Title;
– If Florence gets a 5th, Medina will need a 1stat Pipe to win the World Title;
– If Florence gets a 9th, Medina will need a 2nd

2010 Pipe Master Jeremy Flores (FRA) will fight to punch his ticket directly through to the Quarterfinals but will need to defeat 2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Italo Ferreira (BRA) in Round 4 Heat 3.

2012 Pipe Master Joel Parkinson (AUS) will look to play spoiler today against reigning WSL Champion John John Florence (HAW), who looks to earn back-to-back titles, and Caio Ibelli (BRA), who is after his first CT event win, in Heat 2 of Round 4.

11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA) will battle 2016 Pipe runner-up Kanoa Igarashi (USA) and rookie Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) in the final Round 4 match-up.

Up first this morning will be 2014 Pipe Master Julian Wilson (AUS) against Conner Coffin (USA) and rookie Ian Gouveia (BRA) in the opening heat of Round 4.

For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com.

Billabong Pipe Masters Round 4 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Julian Wilson (AUS), Conner Coffin (USA), Ian Gouveia (BRA)
Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Caio Ibelli (BRA), John John Florence (HAW)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Heat 4: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Kelly Slater (USA)