The whole Florence family got in the water recently, as featured for another edition of Nathan Florence’s excellent vlog. But there was one conspicuous addition that may pique the interest of the competitive surf fan. The eldest Florence was out testing the ACL repair he had done this spring when he pulled out of the Australian leg of the tour. He’s been working to get ready for the Olympics since.
John John definitely doesn’t look his usual snappy self but he looks way ahead of where he was the last time he had knee surgery. He says that’s because it’s not his power-producing appendage. “This time it’s my front (left) leg,” he told us in a recent interview. “When your back leg is injured, my back leg anyway, it’s not only bent but pushed inward. You really put a lot of power into that back leg. Even just surfing the last couple of days, I’m way, way ahead of where I was last time. There was also the benefit of not having to take part of my hamstring like last time. The doctors were able to attach it all back to the bone so it’s much stronger.”
We’re down to a matter of days to when John John Florence will make his Olympic debut in Japan. Airs still seem like a long way off given the fact it was an ACL injury. Can he win in small Japanese beach break without throwing airs? We’ll soon find out.
Read more with John John Florence, here.
