John John Florence grew up on the beach at Pipeline.
And so, it made sense that from a very young age, the towheaded surfing prodigy would make his way out to the world’s most feared and revered waves.
Now, years later since he first started surfing Pipeline, and today is considered one of the best to ever do it out there, Florence’s titular surf brand is sponsoring the World Surf League’s 2024 Championship Tour kickoff event, the Pipe Pro.
Announcing the sponsorship deal, JJF wrote on social media:
“I’m really proud to share that @florence_marine_x will be sponsoring the @wsl Pipe event. Pipe has been my backyard and favorite wave for as long as I have been surfing. I’ve grown up watching and dreaming of being in these contests. And then one day I was in them, surfing with the same surfers I looked up to as a kid. To be able to support the event now is a dream come true. Stoked to have this opportunity alongside @yeti and @visslasurf”
The WSL has had some interesting sponsorship deals of late, including a regional ladder company in Australia and one very prominent instant ramen brand. But the core surf industry brands have been curiously absent. Might have something to do with all the major brands being bought out by a mega-corporation, all under the same umbrella, and loads of layoffs.
There’s also been rumors of JJF, who is a two-time World Champion, quitting the Championship Tour; however, with his own brand sponsoring the kickoff event to the 2024 season, that seems unlikely…at least for now.
About his brand, Florence, in a recent interview John told SURFER:
“It’s been going super good. It’s been incredibly fun, more fun than I could’ve ever imagined it. It just keeps getting more and more exciting for me. The team is getting more and more aligned, and with that comes better products. Everything is more streamlined, and running smoother. Learning how to run a business has been interesting, but the teamwork has been crucial. And the newer products we’re coming out with – and I’m not trying to sell it [laughs] – but I’m super excited about it. It’s cool to make gear that I actually like.”
The WSL Pipe Pro window runs January 29th – February 10th.
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