"I love everything that comes with Bells, the history, the cliffs, the gathering of everyone down in the car park."
As predicted on these very pages two weeks ago, the three-time world surfing champion Mick Fanning will take a break from managing his vast multi-million dollar property and business portfolios to compete at Bells Beach, the contest beginning April 10.
Fanning, who at forty is still a decade younger than current world number two Kelly Slater, says the Bells wildcard is the one he “really wanted. Obviously, I did Narrabeen last year but Bells is the one I was really aiming for. It’s a place that is really close to my heart, and if I was ever going to take a wildcard, it would be there, so I’m pretty fired up. Personally, I really like the wave at Bells. The speed of it, the wide open canvas, and the fact that it is a right hand point break. I love everything that comes with Bells, the history, the cliffs, the gathering of everyone down in the car park. It’s so awesome. It’s something that sits in my heart.”
Fanning retired four years ago to concentrate on family and money following seventeen years on the tour where he accumulated twenty-two wins, three world titles and a dreadful Great White encounter.
“To go and ring the Bell for the fifth time, no one has ever done it apart from Gail Couper,” Fanning, who has won the event four times, said. “During my career I got close, but right now I just want to focus on putting on a good performance. My preparation when I was on Tour was non-stop training but this time around I’ve just been focusing on my surfing and making sure it’s up to the level of the best in the world.”
Other four-time winners include Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Stephanie Gilmore and Mark Richards.
Couper, a school teacher from nearby Lorne who didn’t start surfing until she was fifteen, won the event an astonishing ten times.
Fanning will appear in heat five against the world’s best surfer in waves two feet and under, Filipe Toledo, and Pipeline surprise Samuel Pupo.
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Can’t wait to see Mick fanning top turn at bells.
I bet the entire Gold Coast hopes he moves down there permanently.
Mick knows full well that Porko’s going to be there for the inaugural ‘Bells Slip n Slide Easter Classic’, and is yet again out to steal Porko’s thunder.
How dare Mick stymie this historical event.
What’ll he do next to spoil Porko’s sport…
Kelly hosts the Oscars and is number 2 in the rankings. Mick is helping out people affected by the floods and is getting a WSL wild card. Porko needs to start his mudpool UFC pronto!
I like how Goatdaddys surfing at 50 is still more contemporary than MFs ever was or will , bring it on MF lets get rid of you once and for all egg on face and reputation in tatters haha.
Wth you hate everyone in the industry *except* egghead?
Thousands work in industry related work not to mention the combined total of QS and CT surfers over 99 perecent of which i have never made a comment about either for or against , and i think that answers that not very well thought through comment.
As for egg head i just try to throw a positive spin into the constant negative propaganda.
Aah you work for quik. Makes sense.
For someone not Brutus you do a fair impersonation
If La Niña is still around – odds are not good for quality waves
Ring ring, ring ring….
Hello?
Yeah hi, it’s 2001 calling
Wozzzzzzzzzuuuuuuuuuuuup
“the world’s best surfer in waves two feet and under, Filipe Toledo”
Ouch.
WSL ignoring the disappointment of Mick’s wildcard at Narrabeen last year.
Presumably ADS already lined up for Brazil, can’t wait.
If Gabe gets cut mid year they may give it to him instead.
He will be remembered as a pretty solid and stand up guy. As long as he doesn’t go all Porko someday.
Bell’s is a place that Mick’s standard of surfing still remains top shelf. He’s going to do fine.
He won’t lay an egg like Taj did. Taj represented aggressive surfing as his calling card and he looked so retired at Rotty….. embarrassed himself worse than Occy has at the legends events.
Seeded against Felipe and Sam Pupo in the first. Should get through that round in 2nd place, maybe even 1st. Even if he bombs I would expect him to make it through Rd2 as there’s just too many average surfers filling up those Rd 2 heats. From there onwards it really depends who he comes up against. Should make quarter finals because his style does suit Bells.
Bells is anti progression. Look at the film from the 80’s… is any new ground really being broken? No.
Kelly knows how to compete. This wave never suited his style. He’s still won. It’s just math to him. Bells is about points and tapping the lip and swinging through flat spots and an end hit that is photographic at best.
System surfing honors the seasoned competitors. Bell is what it is, a QS venue at best.
May as well draw a line through half the tour. Margarets is even shitter (a left that you have to go right on), and even the box if it breaks has to deal with onshores by lunch time.
It’s sad that the great Australia has the worst two tour stops
Funny….AI would talk of having to wipe off speed to add any dramatics to smaller Bells.
As if the WSL needed any more excuses to reward safety surfing and wraps circa 2003.
It’s Bells, that is all there is…..
If that’s all there is, then thats all there is, if that’s all there is my friends, then let’s keep dancing. Let’s break out the booze and have a ball. If that’s all, there is.
Peggy Lee
psssh…give me the fuckin Wildcard.
or G-land.
Speaking of recycling
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I mean, dammit. Who WOULDN’T buy that.
Hasn’t got a chance, and in the process has completely dismissed Gail Couper and the womens competition
And it’s not just big ‘ol titties. It’s those medium size perkers, and the rest. Who hasn’t woke up staring at a titty, and had a better day? Who hasn’t taken a few Ladies out on the boat, and of course….titties. Titties, titties, titties, and titties. Thank You, GOD!
I started my day that way today – despite the rain its got better and better – thank you titties!!!!
Why titties?
His mom fed him formula.
Now we know you sleep with your head at the foot of the bed..
Historically this doesn’t go well for the old dogs.
It’s gone pretty fucking good up to now.
This venue inhibits progression anyway, he’ll do fine.
Right….. let’s not forget how well Mr. Fanning did against the newer kids as a granted wild card a year and a half ago… Done and dusted by the end of losers round.
Nostalgia in surf comps is highly over rated