Lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on the island of Tahiti, lies a village that's home to one of the world's most beautiful waves - Teahupo'o. Facing mystical mountains covered in a wild and luxuriant jungle, the perfect wave of Teahupo'o wraps around the reef to create a powerful tube that attracts the best surfers on the planet.
Photographer Tim Mckenna has been documenting this paradise for over 25 years. From Laird Hamilton's Millennium Wave to WSL competitions, the locals pushing the limits, and the upcoming Olympic Games, he has been a privileged witness to Teahupo'o.
Alongside all the big names in surfing, he has seen the emergence of a generation of local kids who have come to tame this mythical wave. Among them are Tahurai Henry and Gilbert Teave.
Aware of how lucky they are to have grown up in this paradise, they dedicate all their energy and heart to preserving the place and passing on their culture to future generations. They are the guardians of the temple, the heirs of the village. They are the children of Teahupo'o.
The Pipeline Kid - John John Florence // BEST OF JOHN JOHN FLORENCE AT TEAHUPO'O
Raised on the sand at Pipeline and striking swells to Tahiti since he was a teenager, at 31, Hawaiian-born 2x World Champion John John Florence is inarguably one of the best surfers ever at Teahupo'o.
Besides his deep relationship with the community and experience at the wave, John is one of the most naturally gifted, technical backside tuberiders on the planet.
Catching his first wave at six months old, John John was touted as a prodigy and appeared as a youth phenom in international surf magazines and surf films before he was even in high school.
However, surfers like John don't emerge from a vacuum. The oldest of three brothers, John, Ivan and Nathan's mother Alexandra didn't have your standard single mother lifestyle, with John and the boys being taken under wing by the world's best surfer and looked out for by the entire North Shore community.
Despite a handful of frustrating injuries (broken back, wrist, arm, leg, and more) since qualifying for the World Championship Tour, John John won the Pipe Masters, the Triple Crown, and two back to back World Title's in 2016 and 2017, all while consistently producing and starring in fan-favorite surf films that are as high art as they are performance, and earning John multiple Surfer Poll Awards throughout his career.
With the Gold Medal on the line at one of his favorite waves in the world, John John Florence is not to be missed at Teahupo'o this month.
ALL-TIME TEAHUPO'O! Inside Pro Surfing: SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown 2024
At the first stop following the Mid-season cut, Championship Tour surfers are prepared to meet the most critical wave on Earth. Teahupo’o is one of the most awe-inspiring waves on the planet. What sets Teahupo'o apart is its raw power, sheer size, and cavernous barrels. In order to find triumph in Tahiti, the world’s best surfers must prepare to test their mettle against this force of nature, and in doing so, will push the boundaries of their sport. Tahiti is the ultimate proving ground. It all starts at the End of the Road.
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