CHAMP EXITS AND HAPPILY CARRIES GEAR HOME
THE carnage continued at the Quiksilver and Roxy Pros on the Gold Coast yesterday, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at this photo. An hour after being knocked out of the competition by wildcard Mikey Wright, world champion John John Florence tucked his boards under his arms and happily spoke to fans as he took the long walk home.
WHY do we love the Quiky Pro?
Because the reigning world champion, a man whose face adorns billboards around the globe, can suffer a shock elimination at the event, have a shower, grab his surfboards, throw on his backpack and simply walk home like any other grown-up grommet.
No backdoor exits. No SUVs with tinted windows.
No burly security guards ordering selfie-seeking fans to back off because their client’s just become the first reigning world champ to be bundled out of a season-opening Round 2 in more than 20 years.
Nope, none of that prima donna crap.
Instead, little more than an hour after John John Florence was gunned down by Mikey Wright, a wildcard entrant no less, the 25-year-old strolled out of the athlete area … and kept on strolling.
He strolled past the event merchandise store. He strolled past the massive results board that reinforced his comp was well and truly over. He strolled past the blokes pointing him out to their girlfriends and occasionally paused so those girlfriends could get a photo with him.
Then, when he hit Marine Parade, he turned right and kept strolling, just another surfer heading home with two barefooted mates after catching a few waves at Snapper, albeit not enough to be invited back tomorrow.
“It’s crazy to me how relaxed it is,” international student Cassidy Case said of the unique vibe she was experiencing at her first Quiksilver Pro.
“Could you imagine Roger Federer walking home virtually on his own after losing at a big tournament? (John John) just grabbed his things and walked home by himself … the surfers come out and sign autographs and there’s hardly any security.
“It’s insane.”
It’s also what brings a smile to the face of a hometown hero who convincingly won through to the third round – before being asked to pose for a selfie before he was even back on dry land.
“I think that is one of the coolest things about surfing,” Joel Parkinson said after inching his way through multiple selfie and autograph requests on his journey from the water to the athlete area.
“For the fans to be able to rub shoulders on the beach with their idols is awesome, especially today. Look at the crowd.”
The former world champ thrust his hand towards the dozens of boardie and bikiniclad fans standing in the Snapper Rocks shallows as Michael Rodrigues and Sebastian Zietz did battle on the waves.
“When you’re out there, they feel like they’re only 20ft away from you,” Parkinson beamed. “You can see the expressions on their faces. It’s a really cool feeling. There aren’t a lot of places on tour where you’re that close to fans.”
Told of Florence’s post-elimination stroll home, the one where his biggest danger was being asked by truant officers why he wasn’t at school, Parkinson shared a knowing grin.
“Surfers are usually pretty cruisy, down-to-earth people and surf fans are mostly the same,” he said.
“We’re all believers in one big thing and that’s the ocean. We love it and that’s why we’re here.”