O'Neill, the original surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, is happy to congratulate team rider John John Florence on clinching the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing® in front of his friends and family at Pipeline, a break he has been surfing since the age of eight. Florence's Triple Crown victory vaults the 19 year old to Hawaiian surfing legend status and a top contender for the 2012 ASP World Title.
Competing in his seventh Triple Crown after debuting at 13 years old, Florence came to Pipe with the lead after winning the World Cup at Sunset Beach last week and finishing 5th at Haleiwa in November.
Riding his home break, John John remained consistent throughout the three days, riding deep inside the barrels of 10-15 foot Pipeline waves. On day one, he claimed the event's first perfect 10, then went on to defeat Kelly Slater and the Hobgood brothers in head-to-head heats during day two, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Slater. Florence officially won the Triple Crown after Michel Bourez lost his semifinal heat to Kieren Perrow.
"I really can't believe this has happened, winning the Triple Crown has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember," said Florence. "It's been a really fun year, getting to compete on the ASP Tour and learning from a lot of the guys out here. To win at Pipe in my backyard with close friends and family watching is such an incredible way to finish the tour."
Florence was off to a dominant start in 2011, winning the Da Hui Back Door Shootout and Pipe Pro in January. He then went on to the ASP World Tour, where he earned a top 10 finish in Portugal, reaching the quarterfinals. He qualified for the 2012 ASP Tour and will finish the year with a big jump in world rankings.
"We've all known for years that John John had the talent to be one of the best surfers in the world," said Garth Tarlow, O'Neill's Director of Sports Marketing. "This year has proven that he'll be a force on the scene for years, maybe decades, to come."
With the Triple Crown win, John John joins other Triple Crown legends such as Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Sunny Garcia and Derek Ho, making him a serious threat to take the 2012 world title.
"This kid is a phenom, and with his confidence riding high, there's no limit to what he can do," said Toby Bost, CEO, O'Neill Clothing USA. "Team O'Neill will be a force in 2012."
Florence started his memorable week by taking home the Andy Irons Breakthrough Performer Award at the Surfer Poll Awards on Wednesday.