- WSL / Tony Heff

In a collection of early short stories entitled "The Wild Years," Ernest Hemingway writes, "We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."

That pretty much sums up surfing for everyone from the beginner to the World Champs. Even legit "masters" of the art of wave-riding like John John Florence or Kelly Slater would agree. And given the well-stocked bookshelf behind John in his recent interview with Chris Cote on World Surf Weekly and the most recent challenge he just shared with us -- foiling from his home at Pipe to Ka'ena Point 15 miles away without falling off -- the Hemingway reference seems apropos.

Along with his brother and a few friends, John and the boys reckon they can do the one-way trip in under an hour and a half if they can keep moving and grooving without falling off. With the Championship Tour kicking off in only a few weeks, the added water time and leg-burning pumping on the foil have the two-time World Champ looking comfortable, relaxed and ready to go once Pipe roars.

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