The winner of the 2016 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) has finally returned home. The island of Oahu has a new hero.
John John Florence, the fourth-ever Hawaiian surfer to win a world title, has arrived home on the North Shore of Oahu.
The 24-year-old surfer from Haleiwa was welcomed by hundreds of local surfing fans. Florence waved the Hawaiian flag as he cruised down Kamehameha Highway on the back of a truck.
The 2016 world surfing champion stopped at Sunset Beach Elementary School, where cheering crowds greeted him enthusiastically. The surfers' favorite surfer was surprised.
"Thanks to everyone. Thanks to the whole community for doing this. Just coming, seeing the signs, and all the kids showing up like this, it's crazy," said John John Florence.
"It's nothing I could have ever imagined to happen like this to me. I'm stoked."
Sunny Garcia, who won the ASP World Tour title in 2000, is happy for John John, but he believes that the new world champion will continue to raise the Hawaiian flag.
"I’m pretty sure he is going to win a lot more titles, so I’m happy for Hawaii. We have Carissa, who has been carrying that torch for a while, and now we have John John. So Hawaii is looking good in the future," Garcia told KHON2.