Watch: John John's Pipe Masters warm up week

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
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It's one of the more improbable statistics in pro surfing: That it took John John Florence fourteen goes to win the Pipe Masters.

Especially when you see surfing such as this, all filmed in the week leading up to this year's Masters.

Note: First two-something minutes is slow-boiled scene-setting, only for it to pop the thermometer at 2:50.

Comments

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 11:02am

Jeeeezus.
*quits surfing*

Richard Milledge.'s picture
Richard Milledge.'s picture
Richard Milledge. Monday, 28 Dec 2020 at 6:54pm

to bad

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 11:14am

Yeah it's a bit like that Sprout!

You get the feeling that now he's got the monkey of his back he might get quite a few more Masters before he's done.

Loved the music on this one - was wondering who it was until I saw the credits.
The old man, my brother and I wandered into the Artis family jamming in Haleiwa years ago - heard some music (jazz/fusion kinda stuff) from across the street when we were checking out one of the board shops (or mighta been when we were looking for lunch - memory's a bit hazy!); thought it might have been a live show or something but turned out it was just the boys jamming in their house with the front. They waved us in, we listened for half an hour or so, chatted for a bit, then they gave us a CD on the way out. Amazingly talented musos the lot of them, and super friendly and warm.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 11:55am

god damn.

anthony.olsen's picture
anthony.olsen's picture
anthony.olsen Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 12:03pm

The drop at 2:54!

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 8:20pm

I said "oh my God" out loud when i saw that.

loungelizard's picture
loungelizard's picture
loungelizard Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 12:09pm

the spit at 4.00!

radiationrules's picture
radiationrules's picture
radiationrules Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 12:14pm

..apart from anything else..very cool original music... Miles vapour..

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 12:15pm

So so good. Ivan has a very pleasant style, doesn't he? (not throwing shade on JJF - would be an idiot to attempt that)

Was that Phantoms at the end?

iamlegend's picture
iamlegend's picture
iamlegend Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 12:46pm

He wearing a Florence Marine X vest?

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 12:55pm

Every single wave he rode had something amazing. Even just a subtle foot placement, or the approach to a particular turn.

Stunning.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 1:12pm

Wow. Those drops are just so steep and technical and he does them with flow.
The outer reef footage, slight blur to it, like the end of 'Litmus' only with JJF in the tube.
Music was great, heard a couple of Santana-y licks and rhythm lines there :)

san Guine's picture
san Guine's picture
san Guine Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 1:15pm

Position, timing and aesthetically pleasing. Could watch JJF all day long.

CMC's picture
CMC's picture
CMC Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 1:32pm

Sublime surfer with a chilled vibe....great to see

_Bodhi_'s picture
_Bodhi_'s picture
_Bodhi_ Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 1:46pm

Again, incredible surfing, also incredible cinematography.

I do love the brotherly bickering...

Ivan: “Mum, text Nathan we’re going out”
John: “No! Don’t text Nathan, he didn’t tell me the other day!"

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 2:16pm

The pull-in at the end....fark. Ouch.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 3:30pm

Right.....that's it!

After watching that, JJF is DEFINITELY the best surfer on the planet.

Fucking outrageous!

DeXtrus's picture
DeXtrus's picture
DeXtrus Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 3:43pm

JJF is a Pipe Master and balance restored to Earth. Covid disappears, global warming trends reverse. Trump finally admits he's the bigliest loser that ever lost, losing over and over and over again and again and again so then retires in shame to Northern China & bizarrely finds love triangle with Xi Jingping & Kim Jong-un and everyone lives happily ever after - except for Medina who wonders of opportunities lost and comes to the realisation that everyone except Brazilians think he's a cunt

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 4:02pm

Had to be Phantoms didn't it?

houses not right for Himalayas.

Tick's picture
Tick's picture
Tick Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 6:17pm

The timing to pull up under those lips. Wow.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 6:23pm

Never had a video that's made me want to surf more, and also quit.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 6:37pm

pfft kids stuff ....said no one......fuk hows that last double tube ........

Bens right

Balbero's picture
Balbero's picture
Balbero Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 6:51pm

Considering what MR, Curran, Kong, Occy & and Slater were doing at that same age, John John seems on par.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 7:54pm

Hate to add to the froth but that was unbelievable..

He's gotta be top of the tree at Pipe these days doesn't he?

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Saturday, 26 Dec 2020 at 2:45pm

That's what I was wondering. Since Derek Ho passed away. I guess it's between JJF and JOB. Surely those two can have any wave they want.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Saturday, 26 Dec 2020 at 4:24pm

Yeah and maybe Bruce when he’s out there?

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Monday, 28 Dec 2020 at 7:06am

There's some recent footage of Jamie burning John out there. Isn't the first time either. Is that just playful fun? An elder surfer staking a claim?
Seems too dangerous a wave to fade someone

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 8:19pm

Sooooooooooo sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 8:25pm

I just love the fact he clearly loves surfing pipe. Its pretty clear a fair few tour surfers don't and that makes a big difference.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 at 8:46pm

Very good point.

dandandan's picture
dandandan's picture
dandandan Thursday, 24 Dec 2020 at 8:10am

I can't quite find the right words, but imagine the high you'd be on if all that there was just one week of your life?

andy-mac's picture
andy-mac's picture
andy-mac Thursday, 24 Dec 2020 at 8:49am

Fark, he makes it look so easy....

ilikelamb's picture
ilikelamb's picture
ilikelamb Thursday, 24 Dec 2020 at 4:55pm

I’ve watched that last wave so many times and each time is more baffling than the last.

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Friday, 25 Dec 2020 at 9:30am

Yeah, just incredible. Clearly Nathan didn’t tell him the other day because he wanted to get a wave.

All the surfers out there, and yet when he is hooking in no one to be seen. Probably they just know it’s his wave, but more likely everyone else is thinking no way am I going that wave, it’s unmakeable, and to everyone else it is.

Those big pipe last few are freaking frightening.

eel's picture
eel's picture
eel Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 4:26pm

Those last few waves are the outer reef Phantoms

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Friday, 25 Dec 2020 at 9:32am

Yeah, great music too.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Friday, 25 Dec 2020 at 10:40am

Very few JJF clips disappoint. None that I can think of anyway.

john.callahan's picture
john.callahan's picture
john.callahan Friday, 25 Dec 2020 at 7:24pm

Surfs these locations like he's been surfing them his entire life

(spoiler: he has)

winston.white's picture
winston.white's picture
winston.white Saturday, 26 Dec 2020 at 11:33am

JJF unbelievable surfer congrats on Pipe Masters win.

Love the brotherly roasting haha, Nathan you didn’t tell me pipe was on??

No don’t tell Nathan he didn’t tell me (talking to Ivan) - GOLD

D-Rex's picture
D-Rex's picture
D-Rex Saturday, 26 Dec 2020 at 2:12pm

'14 goes to win' overlooks the fact he was 14yo (by my calcs) in his first Pipe comp. BTW how has he avoided head-reef contact for so long?

D-Rex's picture
D-Rex's picture
D-Rex Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 9:49am

Things have sure changed since the 80's in Hawaii. Haoles like JJF would have been given the 'paddle to the beach' by the likes of JBG rather than being given carte blanche at Pipe.

D-Rex's picture
D-Rex's picture
D-Rex Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 1:19pm

Understood goof but don't think Da Hui would have cared.

sheep shagger's picture
sheep shagger's picture
sheep shagger Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 4:04pm

WTF D-Rex? You speak of things you know nothing of. Da Hui founders include non-Polynesians, and they don't pick on local kids.

sheep shagger's picture
sheep shagger's picture
sheep shagger Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 4:55pm

Back to the awesome surfing... and world class sized balls...agree with thermalchap, not sure if to wax up or quit!

D-Rex's picture
D-Rex's picture
D-Rex Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 8:32pm

'DA HUI was born in Hawai`i by a group of surfers, who were also known as the "Black Shorts". These men are extreme and proud native Hawaiians who believe in the protection and preservation of Hawaiian surfing, and will stop at nothing to defend it. Paddling out into the line up during the late 1970's, to stop professional surfing contests on the North Shore by non-Hawaiians. This was just the beginning of what would later become a noticeable force in the World's surfing community. Some feared us. Some hated us. But most respected us as these men stood up for what was right. Respect is earned. Not given freely.' Source: Da Hui website
Not sure how many white native Hawaiians there are SS but you seem to know it all.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 8:56pm

How does JBG & Eddie Rothman fit into that category DRex?
They look pretty white to me

ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 11:06pm

i don't know any more than the average uninformed punter about da hui and their history, but it's always worth being wary of autobiographies, interesting and important as they are

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Sunday, 27 Dec 2020 at 11:40pm

Blokes like JJF & Jamie O'Brien grew up there and cut their teeth at Pipe from the time they were kids. DaHui would have no issue with them as they're gun locals and earned their spots at the top of the tree. Was the same with the 'black shorts' back in the day. They only had issues with foreigners (especially of the pro variety) who thought they could just paddle out and be on the best waves from day one.

You need to brush up on your surfing history D Rex. Maybe start with Rabbit's bio 'Bustin down the door'.

D-Rex's picture
D-Rex's picture
D-Rex Monday, 28 Dec 2020 at 9:10am

Thanks for the history lesson gents. Have seen pics of JBG and ER goof and if they're white then I'm a snowman. Have read BDTD and enjoyed it thoroughly - no mention of white guys getting carte blanch at PIpe in that tome, I'm afraid, ringa.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 28 Dec 2020 at 10:30am

Mate are you taking the piss? Or on the piss?

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Monday, 28 Dec 2020 at 11:02am

He is taking the piss whilst on the piss.

John and Jamie get a gig on the Da Hui website.

http://dahui.com/dahuiwax

Sure old rex has some sort of correction though.

jetson.rover's picture
jetson.rover's picture
jetson.rover Friday, 1 Jan 2021 at 11:12pm

Johnny Boy Gomes is actually of Puerto Rican heritage.
Even Sunny Garcia,who most people mistake as native Hawaiian,is actually of Filipino heritage.
Hardly native Hawaiians,but perhaps because they weren't white,then in their own minds,and plenty of others too no doubt,they rated higher in the local pecking order than the locally bred 'hoales'.

soggydog's picture
soggydog's picture
soggydog Tuesday, 29 Dec 2020 at 9:35am

Eddie Rothman is of Jewish descent from the US mainland, not Polynesian.
He’s just got a real good tan.

Kham's picture
Kham's picture
Kham Tuesday, 29 Dec 2020 at 8:52pm

She is very giving and John John is very accepting.
That last wave is nothing short of Amazing,