Two-time World Champion John John Florence and Kolohe Andino are back in the water a month out from the start of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Florence had surgery on his left knee after injuring it at the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro presented by Corona, and there has been some speculation about whether or not he'd be ready to represent the United States in surfing's debut on sport's biggest stage.
He went straight under the surgeon's knife after the injury -- yet another setback after previous injuries to his right knee that saw him sit out much of the 2018 and 2019 Championship Tour seasons before coming back at Pipeline to lock in his Olympic qualification.
"It's not the same knee I dealt with last year, so that's good, but with the Olympics coming up this summer I'm going to focus on healing up and getting strong," Florence told the WSL back in May when the injury occurred.
Florence has been posting regular updates on his knee rehab, with the latest noting that he's back in the water. While there's no official word on whether he will compete in Tokyo, you can only assume he intends to do everything possible to add a gold medal to his trophy cabinet.
The other member of the men's USA surfing team, Andino, also recently had surgery to fix a persistent ankle complaint, putting the spotlight squarely on the team's Alternate, 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater.
However Andino is also back surfing, taking part in a Team USA expression session event today at Lower Trestles. Those present said that while he was keeping his surfing on the face of the wave, he wasn't noticeably holding back -- another good sign for Team USA as we count down to the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo.
Florence, Andino Back In The Water A Month Out From The Olympics
Ben Collins
Two-time World Champion John John Florence and Kolohe Andino are back in the water a month out from the start of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Florence had surgery on his left knee after injuring it at the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro presented by Corona, and there has been some speculation about whether or not he'd be ready to represent the United States in surfing's debut on sport's biggest stage.
He went straight under the surgeon's knife after the injury -- yet another setback after previous injuries to his right knee that saw him sit out much of the 2018 and 2019 Championship Tour seasons before coming back at Pipeline to lock in his Olympic qualification.
"It's not the same knee I dealt with last year, so that's good, but with the Olympics coming up this summer I'm going to focus on healing up and getting strong," Florence told the WSL back in May when the injury occurred.
Florence has been posting regular updates on his knee rehab, with the latest noting that he's back in the water. While there's no official word on whether he will compete in Tokyo, you can only assume he intends to do everything possible to add a gold medal to his trophy cabinet.
The other member of the men's USA surfing team, Andino, also recently had surgery to fix a persistent ankle complaint, putting the spotlight squarely on the team's Alternate, 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater.
However Andino is also back surfing, taking part in a Team USA expression session event today at Lower Trestles. Those present said that while he was keeping his surfing on the face of the wave, he wasn't noticeably holding back -- another good sign for Team USA as we count down to the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo.
John John Florence
John John Florence dives into his long-standing partnership with Pyzel Surfboards, sharing how their close collaboration has led to a
Featuring Gabriel Medina, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Vahine Fierro, Caroline Marks, Sawyer Lindblad, Ramzi Boukhiam, Ryan Callinan, Kanoa
After nine regular season events, the Lexus WSL Finals brings the top 5 men and top 5 women in professional surfing to Lower Trestles for a
Featuring Barron Mamiya, Molly Picklum, Gabriel Medina, Tatiana Weston-Webb, John John Florence, Erin Brooks, and Macy Callaghan.
Featuring Ethan Ewing, Caitlin Simmers, Caroline Marks, Italo Ferreira, and John John Florence.
News
Erin Brooks' 2024 Championship Tour Wildcard win at the Corona Fiji Pro as well as her Challenger Series highlights that qualified her for
2024/2025 North America Longboard Regional Qualifying Series Begins in Pismo Beach
The now-Central Coast competitor Jack Van Wagoner is back in familiar waters, this time in Pismo Beach, looking for his second-career win.
The 2023 finalist Chloe Coleman is back after her rookie year among the world's best and looks for a second-career win heading into Pismo