Surfer John John Florence on Becoming a Father Days Before Tahiti Pro Contest: 'Coolest Experience Ever' (Exclusive)

The two-time world champion and Olympic surfer welcomed his first baby just days before competing at one of the world's most 'powerful' waves, Teahupo'o

John John Florence is hopping on a new wave: fatherhood.

On Tuesday, May 21, the two-time world champion surfer confirmed to PEOPLE that he is officially a dad. He welcomed his first child with his wife, Lauryn Cribb, just a few days ahead of the anticipated Tahiti Pro stop on the WSL Championship Tour.

"Yeah, we had our son a week and a half ago," Florence, 31, tells PEOPLE exclusively when asked if the hint on his Instagram meant the baby arrival was official. On May 16, he paired a surf video on Instagram with a lengthy caption that subtly mentioned the exciting news.

While the caption primarily explained the new YouTube video he posted to his channel, specifically breaking down his years-long documentation of the boards and fins he's used in different waves and conditions, he concluded his write up with an unexpected surprise. "Also, most importantly, this was my first dad surf!! Pretty stoked on that!" he wrote.

Related: Surfer John John Florence Says a Kelly Slater Rematch ‘Would Be Incredible’ a Decade After the ‘Greatest Heat’

The couple first announced they were expecting in December 2023. "We’re excited for our little baby boy to join us in May," the new mom wrote on Instagram alongside photos showing off her baby bump at the time.

Although Florence couldn't confirm the name of their little one just yet, he tells PEOPLE that he now feels "a lot lighter" because "everything just went so well." He explained, "I just went into the whole thing of being a dad really open-minded — and the moment it happened, it was just the coolest experience ever."

While Florence said he's "so happy" about the major family milestone, he was grappling with a new conflict that comes with doubling as a dad and pro surfer on the WSL Championship Tour. "It was really hard to leave home, actually, to come and do this," he admits.

Florence is a Hawaii native who grew up on the North Shore, though has traveled the world to compete his entire life. Shortly after welcoming his son, the pro athlete packed his bags and jetted off to a different Polynesian island with his sight on clinching the 2024 Tahiti Pro title.

Taking place from May 22 to May 31 (though the first two days were called off due to an underwhelming forecast), the surf competition draws the best surfers from around the globe to compete on one of the most awe-inspiring waves on the planet: Teahupo'o.

"I would say it's one of the most powerful waves in the world," Florence explains of the famed Tahiti surf break, which also doubles as the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics surf venue. "But it's also one of the most machine-like waves in the world, in the sense that it's really similar every time when it's really good."

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The wave is equally consequential, however. "It's dangerous for a few reasons," says Florence. "One, it can get so big, it can handle so much swell and so much power. It doesn't really ever have a moment where it gets too big for the wave. It just keeps getting bigger."

The other reason is the reef. "It comes out of deep water and goes to this super shallow shelf — so when you have that kind of mix up of open ocean swells hitting a shallow shelf, it's just all raw energy hitting the shelf at once," he says. "So when you fall, it's a lot of power on a very shallow reef."

Florence, who's currently ranked No. 3 in the world and will rep Team USA in his second consecutive Games, is no stranger to this wave — nor to having memorable rides at past Tahiti Pros, either. A prime example is his heat in 2014 against 11-time world champion Kelly Slater — something that has arguably become "the greatest heat of all time."

The Hawaii native surfed a near-identical performance to competitor Slater, with both athletes clinching close-to-perfect scores. In fact, Florence — who ultimately lost the contest against Slater, despite the heat ending in a draw — expressed to PEOPLE in 2023 his desire to take on the surf legend at the contest once again.

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"I've had a couple of heats against Kelly that've been amazing, and it would be incredible to have that rematch again," Florence said at the time. "I think it only counts, though, if the waves are as good as they were then... and it's big."

Though it didn't happen at the 2023 Tahiti Pro, Florence now tells PEOPLE a rematch with Slater — who's also soon to be a new dad — is still top of mind. "I'm still waiting for it," he says exactly one decade after the famed heat went down.

Florence placed seventh at the event last year — but this year, he knows what it takes to win. "You also have to be able to be somewhat fearless when it gets really big," he says. "You have to be 100% confident."

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