John John And Steph Take Leave Of 2025 CT Season
Within an hour of each other, John John Florence and Steph Gilmore anounced they weren't planning to compete on the 2025 CT season. Between them they have eleven world titles. The news comes a week after Gabriel Medina - who has another three world titles - announced he was missing the start of the season through injury.
With a new baby, a burgeoning business venture, a healthy taste for adventure, plus a brother who's finding success outside of the contest singlet, John John's announcement maybe shouldn't come as a surprise.
In what might be considered a generous move, John will not compete in the Pipe Pro which will provide his replacement, Mexico's Al Cleland jr, the maximum opportunity to prove himself before the mid-year cut.
John John Florence (WSL)
"I’ve decided to focus on surfing in a different way this year," said John, who's 32-years old. "I want to create the time to explore, find new waves, and draw different lines."
"I intend to compete full on for another world title in 2026, but right now this idea of adventure and creatively pushing my surfing as far as possible is really exciting! The ocean is so big and there are so many different types of waves to explore. I’m stoked to be filming into some new projects and planning to share the amazing places we get to go along the way."
John will receive the 2026 Season Wildcard, which will allow him to compete in the 2026 CT season.
After taking the 2024 year off to travel and unwind, Steph Gilmore, who turns 37 on the 29th January, postponed her return.
"After careful consideration, I’ve decided to take another season away from the WSL tour," said Steph.
"This time will allow me to focus on healing some lingering injuries and redirect my energy toward continuing my adventures of surfing around the globe. I’m deeply grateful for the unwavering support of my sponsors and I wish all the athletes on tour the best of luck this season!"
Steph will also receive the 2026 Season Wildcard, which will allow her to compete in the 2026 CT season.
Stephanie Gilmore (WSL)
Steph's announcement had the WSL running to the rule book to find her replacement. As per their press release:
"As Gilmore had been assigned the same wildcard for 2025, her position was open to be determined by the WSL Commissioner's Office, which awarded it to Luana Silva (BRA) as the next in line on the 2024 CT rankings (the next in line on the CT rankings would be Lakey Peterson, who was already assigned the 2025 Season Wildcard. With Peterson’s qualification, the position continues down to Silva)."
Meanwhile, Gabriel Medina's injury has been succesfully treated and he'll miss the first three events of the season. Following those events, Gabriel will reassess his plans for the rest of the year. Whatever happens, the WSL Commissioner's Office has already assigned Medina a 2026 Season Wildcard, which will allow him to compete in the 2026 CT season.
2023 Rookie of the Year Ian Gentil has been announced as Gabriel's replacemen. Gentil will replace Medina in the first three events of the season, and perhaps more if Gabriel chooses not to compete.
Lastly, 2022 event winners Moana Jones Wong and Kelly Slater will enter the 2025 Lexus Pipe Pro draw as event wildcards.
Comments
It's getting harder to watch without these 2 surfers involved.....kind of like the Tennis tour without Rafa and Roger, just not the same.
Popular comments:
The writing has been on the wall for quite some time.
Nate has cracked the code...have fun travelling the world with your mates...surf great waves.
Gee who would have thought?
"Lastly, 2022 event winners Moana Jones Wong and Kelly Slater will enter the 2024 Lexus Pipe Pro draw as event wildcards."
Typo?
Yeah 2025. Cheers.
Who might this favour?
The male rookies will breathe just that bit easier and I expect surfers on the cusp of the title - think Griff, Jack, and Italo - will be relishing it.
Italo's off-season weight training has been an eye-opener.
Captain Beefcake
I remember reading owen wrights biography. He talked about 2012 where he bulked up to 92 kgs from low 80s. Said it was totally useless for his surfing and completely stuffed his air game. It showed. He went from 3rd in 2011 to 10th in 2012 when many thought he'd be in the frame for a title. Hopefully Italo hasn't bulked up to the point it's counter-productive.
Reminds me of Clive James' description of Arnie:
well im sure uplift would have something to say on this
I had to look up the CJ quote, and found a whole bunch of them.. nice to be reminded of how sharp he was
rumour is, wsl is pepping up the spectacle at comps with Richie Vas hosting some UF(sea) challenges this season. unclear if it's on land, or 'anything goes' heats.
I'd be on a yacht straight to the Lines or Marshalls.
JJ and Nate on the Slab Tour.
That's worth watching.
Hope Kelly wins Pipe.
+ Gabby?
Steph to join the slab tour?(*rights only)
Slater as a wildcard. Jesus. What about when he's 90? Will he still get a look in?
It's getting a bit silly isn't it.
He'll be dead and they'll still give him a wildcard. Can he just fvck off? Or how about graciously refusing it because he wouldn't want to take a spot from someone with a future? Of course the latter will never happen...
did he ever explain blowing off the last eddie?
I can hear his excuses when he fails to make a heat already - wan’t feeling it, nagging injury, was at trumps house advising on vaccines, didn’t sleep well, stubbed his toe, baby this, baby that….
And the words you will never hear - i was beaten by better surfer, he surfer better,
KS "Congrats to my opponent. He really deserved the win. Would he have won if my back, ankle and solar plexus hadn't flared up? I'd like to think not, but I wouldn't use my injuries as an excuse. He won fair and square, even if I wasn't at my best. I wasn't going to mention this, but I'd been up all night, as RFK called me to offer the position of Senior Vaccine Adviser . I told him I couldn't take a full time position, and he never seemed to understand my offer of coming to DC whenever I felt like it, as a wildcard. I think I'm more than qualified, as I certainly know more about health than most "experts." But after speaking with Dirk and MBS, I just think it makes more sense to focus on bringing surfing to the Saudi general public. We'll be working on a new reality show, in which 1 of 16 condemned political prisoners can have their sentences commuted to life at hard labor by winning the pool contest. There was Survivor. Now there's Real Survivor. No judging panel Just me. Like it always should have been. Dirk says the ratings are going to be all-time. If I can do well while doing good, why not, right?"
Post of the year and we're still in January...
Turn out Kellys Tailbone was the Problem and needed some Work
Thanks yahabo, but more like my one good post of the year.
Ha nothing superfluous about that!
that's my two 'never-miss heats' gone with jjf & medina out...on the plus side no setting the alarm for stupid o'clock
So Nate will have John, Gabriel and Stephie on his yacht? 14 x WTs
With a fully armed film crew
At the best locations in the surfing world
And they won't surf unless it's off the dial
yyeeww
Vs half baked Pipe with old man Slater handing out a master-class in backhand tuberiding for the tour rookies he hasn't trounced already.
OK, let's Gooo
Will John go the way of every other ex-CT surfer and ride a twinny?
When the slabs aren't slabbing, would be great if they did a World Champs Testing Shit segment?
vintage boards, radical shapes
Old mans boards I am a convert.
Can't wait for all the Florence content this year.
Can wait for the WSL. If they don't get waves, this year might be the straw.
The best goofy and the best regular surfers of all time out? Oh, no big deal I guess. We still have b grade brazzos and Ian Gentil competing.
I hope Al Cleland seizes the chance though. I look forward to watching the YouTube highlights.
That's now 25 world titles exiting the woz ship in the last 2 years (granted some injuries, some forced out from form and age and some 'taking a break'.
Reckon they might be off to the Darlo coast now the words out Stu!
It's obvious isn't it?
JJF will have his yacht moored offshore, he and li'l bro waiting for the gnarliest day at low tide Spinners to film and post content, while Steph will be on a Search™ with Vaughan Deadly editing out obvious headlands but everyone will know of course.
Place like the Darlo can only stay a secret for so long.
In related, and positive, news:
I hate hip-hop in surf footage ...like .like...
Man can surf but.
Was Steph ever coming back? Not much said about this. I dunno- she’s GOAT I know, but if you’re pulling the pin on two seasons, is it time to utter the ‘R’ word?
The women’s surf world has moved dramatically in 2024, I expect similar seismic shifts this year as well.
Slater came out of his semi-retirement aged 30, feeling like he had much more to achieve. It still took him three more years to match the new generation of surfers and win another world title.
Steph is a brilliant surfer but it's very hard to see her matching the new generation of women surfers right now, let alone two or three years from now when she'll be pushing forty.
Retirement? I'd be more surprised if she returns to the coloured singlet next year.
Agreed.
Ditto
Man, that is disappointing! He along with Ethan were the main reasons I even bothered tuning in. On the plus side, hopefully Ethan and Jack will have a shot at the WT?
Looking forward to seeing John featuring more heavily in Nates youtube channel then. Noone does a better full rail turn...
The best surfers in the world don’t want to surf on the World Tour.
Enough said.
Cannot for the life of me understand why he didn’t announce this news after Pipe? And say that he planned to compete in select events, Tahiti and JBay most likely, depending on the forecast of course. Hasn’t he learnt anything from you know who? Who’s this Al Cleland jr anyway? The plight of these poor schmucks who’re doing the hard grind to make a career for themselves need not be considered. Nor should the question of the integrity of the Tour. Jesus, what’s wrong with this dude?
By announcing his break pre Pipe , JJ gives Al Cleland a clear run at the CT which was very gracious. Otherwise the Wozzle can hand out wildcards at their own discretion. Cleland charges ( final 8 at Chopes in the Olympics) and has an air game ( won Huntington ) . Look his surfing up.
im surprised it took john so long to join nate. steph cant go left so its irrelevant, and hearing a pro surfer need to take a year off to travel and unwind, give me a break, thats all pro surfers do. they have the best lifestyle on the planet. her sponsors must have more dollars than sense
Yeah turn it up. Need a ‘break’ - from what exactly? Pro surfers aren’t necessarily to blame, they’re conditioned, but so far from reality it’s not funny.
Only well set up surfers can go ‘explore their surfing and find new lines’………but really - they were paid to surf all day, everyday around the world anyway.
Perhaps, deep down, GM is the only one JJF really cares about proving himself against.
Absolutely agree. They are the top of their generation for sure. And just because Kelly wanted to stay on tour for ever doesn’t mean everyone else feels the same way.
Why are pro surfers so afraid to just retire?
Retiring at the top is such a power move and I wish more people did it Ala Ash Barty. Cannot fathom why Steph didn’t retire on the ski after winning #8.
Absolutely 100 percent on this. What more have any of them got left to prove.
Steph, JJ and Slater waiting for a new Dream Tour.
This shit-show the WSL are dishing up the last 4-5 years is really hard to get into...
Slater well past any ‘dream tour’.
Although the current format is different- pipe, snapper, jbay, trestles, cloudbreak,
Bells and WA is basically the dream tour.
Or maybe he's just seen the pipe forecast.
there’s no way JJF wrote that “find new lines” bullshit, settle down.
but yeah, good on him for giving up his spot at the Pipe comp… even with his ability to manage the crowds there imagine giving up the chance of an uncrowded heat or two at that place!
1 year off and free ticket for a world champ - i can live with that but 2 years and then saunter back on. Na don’t dig that. Don’t think Steph is coming back at any rate.
I think we'd all like to take a year off work and just go surfing.
Look just stay at work,
We don't have to work on our surfing lines or angles.
We don't get paid to surf,
They get paid to surf, in contest or where ever .
Futher more , when it's your business you can make the rules.
florence surfshop/ slab / great waves tour.
In some good news…after finishing up with Billabong…RCal has joined Jules at Rivvia
Me: ‘hey darl, I’m thinking of taking a year off to explore myself, the world and the possibilities of experimenting with various surf craft’
Read: ‘I’ve had a gut full of real world responsibilities and I feel like I could iron out my bog rail cutty if I got a new quiver and surfed from Noosa to Red Bluff next year.’
Wife: ‘sure, I’ll support that. Just let me think about the logisitics’
Read: ‘your choice pal, enjoy those fly ridden camp grounds because once you come back you’ll be like that lunatic ‘Trev’ down at the point who lives out of his station wagon explaining to all and sundry the virtues of living off the dole and mee goreng noodles because you don’t have to answer to anyone’
Ha, and start believing in bizarre conspiracy theories as though they are real; think we have to tear down the whole system (how many times have we heard that since the year dot and it ended in tears); and believe everything Trump says is really true, 'cause it is, really.
JJ was sick of the circus and the girls have been over taken by new school girls that are amazing . Surely Steph just cruises around having a good old time she has nothing left to prove to anyone , a few wild cards in pumping rights . Good luck to both of em living the dream
Thanx Stu...was just about to share the updated 2025 CT Competitors...now being shredded...oopsie!
Can share that JJ (Red Type) was never there a few hours back...for sure...
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/tour/mct?year=2025
See Steph...no red type as yet...+ she just ran the 2025 Promos
https://www.theinertia.com/surf/steph-gilmore-filipe-toledo-return-to-co...
Now this...
https://www.theinertia.com/surf/stephanie-gilmore-extends-sabbatical-fro...
Still now no Red Type next to [16] Steph's name...nor any [18] Carissa
WSL must be insisting on the Apple Bookie watches...FU.
Getting like Rollerball with the numbers disappearing off the screen....Gulp!
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/tour/wct?year=2025
So no one finds it odd...
That 1/2/3/4/5 now 6 number ones just walked out on the 2024/25 WOTD Watch Scam.
Kelly did also say he fuckin' despised the WOTD watch & also wore any shit from early on..
That's a fuckin' telling pact as a matter of fact...how ya like them rotten apples!
#1 Tyler is still good for the Stone Tossing Event ain't she...
Poor Sally has her work cut out in rescuing surfing...that's a tougher job than Coaching Spurs...
Never said that...Strewth tbb the shit that comes outta yer mouth...how dare you insinuate that...#@%!