Two of the all-time great barrel riders, Robinson and Florence, push the limits in tense battle
In the fourth head-to-head match of their careers, two-time WSL World Champion John John Florence (USA) and Jack Robinson (AUS) met the earliest ever in competition. As two of the greatest barrel-riders of all time, fireworks were expected from their Round 3 heat. With the eyes of the world on them, the two tried to push the limits of what was possible, taking multiple waves from deep on the reef.
It took over half the heat for either surfer to post over a 2-point ride as both suffered multiple heavy wipeouts attempting to push through long, barreling sections. Robinson managed to break away with a 7.17, before finding a backup 5.83, which he immediately improved on for a 6.77. It wasn’t until the final 5-minutes that Florence was able to break out of the 1-point range, earning a 6.50, but he was unable to improve, allowing Robinson to remain undefeated against him.
“We have a lot of history together, it’s growing and I’m sure there’s going to be more to come,” Robinson said. “I always knew it was going to be a bit of a battle, you know, it’s not going to be easy between both of us and we’re going to push each other. I’m just happy that we’re both good after that heat.”
When men’s Quarterfinals take place, four surfers who qualified through the ISA World Surfing Games will face four surfers who qualified through the WSL Championship Tour. Three of those heats will feature teammates facing each other in their quest for Gold Medals.
ISA President, Fernando Aguerre said:
“First day was amazing, but today was beyond that. Massive 8 to 10’ sets with all the power of the South Pacific were the perfect liquid stage we all hoped for.”
The next call to determine when competition will run will take place on July 30 at 6:15 a.m. TAHT.
Stay tuned to isasurf.org for Paris 2024 results, schedule updates, content, and information.
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