US’ John Florence to skip world tour, jeopardizing Olympic chances in LA

Three-times world champion John John Florence would not seek a wild card entry for surfing’s professional world tour next year, all but ruling the American out of a place at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Hawaiian Florence, who represented the US at the Tokyo and Paris Games, took the last two years off the World Surf League’s (WSL) world championship tour after winning the title in 2024.

He has spent most of the time since sailing around the world with his wife and young son.

John John Florence of US paddles out during the men’s surfing event at the Paris Olympic in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, on July 27, 2024.

Photo: Pool via Reuters

ESPN reported that Florence had elected not to seek the WSL season wild card by the Nov. 1 deadline.

“I try to take things in three-year blocks,” he told ESPN. “The third year becomes ultra-fun because you’ve learned a lot of little tricks and you’re off and running.”

“We need more time,” the 34-year-old said. “There’s a lot of momentum with what I’m doing now.”

Under surfing’s qualification system, up to three athletes of each gender from each country can qualify via the world tour and through other surfing competitions hosted by the sport’s Olympic governing body, the International Surfing Association (ISA).

However, Team USA uses world tour rankings to select for those ISA competitions, meaning Florence would need to be highly ranked on next year’s world tour and into 2028 to have a chance at qualifying.

Team USA and the WSL did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Florence told ESPN that his decision did not mean he would never compete again and that he was hoping for an event wild card for this season’s finale at his home break of Pipeline, on Oahu’s North Shore, next month.

“And then [for 2028], I don’t know,” he said. “I have a huge amount of respect for the athletes and the tour. If you don’t want to be there, if your heart and mind isn’t 110 percent into it, then you shouldn’t be there.”

“It’s hard on the people around you. I don’t want to take a spot if my mind isn’t 100 percent there,” he added.