Oahu’s Florence qualifies for Olympics after Slater falls short
John John Florence poses with a gift from the World Surf League for his provisional 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualification during the Billabong Pipe Masters on Thursday. WSL via Getty Images / Kelly Cestari photo
Italo Ferreira celebrates after winning the Billabong Pipe Masters and securing the world title. WSL via Getty Images / Ed Sloane photo
Kelly Slater competes during the quarterfinals of the Billabong Pipe Masters on Thursday. Slater was eliminated by eventual champion Italo Ferreira in the semifinals. WSL via Getty Images / Ed Sloane photo
John John Florence poses with a gift from the World Surf League for his provisional 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualification during the Billabong Pipe Masters on Thursday. WSL via Getty Images / Kelly Cestari photo
Italo Ferreira celebrates after winning the Billabong Pipe Masters and securing the world title. WSL via Getty Images / Ed Sloane photo
Kelly Slater competes during the quarterfinals of the Billabong Pipe Masters on Thursday. Slater was eliminated by eventual champion Italo Ferreira in the semifinals. WSL via Getty Images / Ed Sloane photo
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PUPUKEA, Oahu (AP) -- John John Florence of Oahu's North Shore returned from knee surgery to take the final spot on the inaugural U.S. Olympic surfing team after 11-time world champion Kelly Slater lost in the semifinals of the Billabong Pipe Masters at the Banzai Pipeline on Thursday.
Although Florence, 27, missed the previous five World Surf League Championship Tour contests while recovering from ACL surgery, he came into the final event with such a commanding lead that the 47-year-old Slater needed to win the Pipe Masters to earn an Olympic berth.
Florence lost in the quarterfinals to Gabriel Medina of Brazil to end the season ranked No. 7 in the world and 3,000 points ahead of Slater, of Cocoa Beach, Fla., who finished ranked No. 8. Slater lost in the semifinals to Brazil's Italo Ferriera, who went on to win the event and clinch the WSL world title.
Florence joins Kolohe Andino of San Clemente, Calif., as the United States' male surfing representatives in Tokyo. Among the women to provisionally qualify for the games are Americans Carissa Moore of Honolulu and Caroline Marks of Melbourne, Fla. -- Moore and Marks clinched their spots at the season-ending Lululemon Maui Pro last month at Honolua Bay.
"This is an absolute dream team," USA Surfing CEO Greg Cruse said. "Team USA not only has the best surfers in the world, they are spectacular representatives of our sport and country. Their professionalism, passion and dedication to excellence is unmatched."
After his equal-third finish, Slater won the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title for the third time.
Thursday's final between Ferreira and Medina was a battle of the top two surfers in the Championship Tour points standings.
Like their world championship fight, the final was tight, but Ferreira scored a 7.73 on his sixth wave for a total of 15.56 to beat out his two-time world champion countryman (12.94).
It is the first world championship for Ferreira.