Now he is established at the top of the world surf league, John John Florence's next mission is to ring the bell.
The Hawaiian star is the surfer to beat at Bells Beach in the men's competition, which had a day off on Wednesday at the start of the Rip Curl Pro waiting period.
After winning the world title for the first time last season, the 24-year-old made a powerful statement in the last few days by dominating the Margaret River Pro.
It was his first major event win in Australia but, for all his brilliance, Florence has never made a Bells Beach final. His best result was a third place three years ago.
"It's so important for me to win this event - you go down in surfing history," Florence said.
"To be on stage winning that bell would be an amazing accomplishment.
"It's pretty difficult here, with waves changing so much - you have to be prepared for anything."
It was Florence's destiny to win the world title - the North Shore native had long been heralded as the next major force in surfing.
"Most of all, I just feel a big pressure relief from last year," he said.
"Getting that out of the way, I feel so much more prepared for everything.
"It's pretty crazy, a totally different side of my surfing."
Florence's Margaret River performance showed he is only improving and he has brought in former competitor Ross Williams as his new coach.
"Bringing in Ross this year has been a huge help - he has so much knowledge," Florence said.
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