"It's not something that I show my kids or whatever. It's something that happened and I try and move on from it."
Mick Fanning is, of course, seated at the main table in surfing’s Valhalla. The Gold Coast Australian burst onto the scene in the late 1990s as a hard-partying, lightning fast wave wizard. Greatness certainly manifesting in 2001 wherein Fanning won the longest running surf contest on earth, the Bells Beach Pro, as a 20-year-old wild card. Three titles followed (2007, 2009, 2013) plus a slew of other awards and acknowledgements but the surf-adjacent fans know him best for his tango at the 2015 J-Bay Open.
For it was there, during the finals against one Julian Wilson, that a giant great white shark either bumped, tangled with or tried to eat Mick Fanning during the live broadcast.
A truly shocking moment, one which, according to Australia’s 9 News, Mick Fanning has had to address in every interview since. One which he was asked to keep that streak alive.
Sitting down for a chat with Wide World of Sports, the 43-year-old shared, “It’s one of those things where I’ve had to work through it and be comfortable with it. It’s something that did happen, and so I can’t shy away from it. But yeah, it’s not something that I show my kids or whatever. It’s something that happened and I try and move on from it.”
Continuing, Fanning revealed that he had had dinner with South African shark attack survivor Shannon Ainslie but two days before his own brush with great white death. The hall of famer asked if it was safe out in the water and Ainslie assured him there was “nothing to worry about.”
“It was so wild. Catching up with him a couple of nights before, and him telling us his story,” Fanning recounted. “There was definitely times where I remembered – he was saying he felt like they were after the board rather than him. So I was just trying to get my board in between me and the shark. The last thing I saw was my board sailing off into the sunset on its fin, and I was like, ‘Yep, I’m not going after that’. I’m thankful that I actually spoke to him before … If I hadn’t had that conversation, maybe I would have chased my board to get on top of it or something. It was definitely a crazy moment.”
Mercifully everything ended well, Fanning has gone on to much fortune via smart investments and a sprawling real-estate portfolio. More important, maybe, the phrase “back on the ski to reset” becoming enshrined in the English lexicon.
Do you have thoughts on that wild day?
Do you remember where you were when you witnessed?
Share please.
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Bull shark caught up in his legrope while doing a drive by, fanning crying like a sook and then changes his story to say he punched the shark, fanning cult goes from worm to hero in one breadth , that’s my memory.
I saw that live and was just fucking so tripping when he disappeared behind the wave and thought well there goes Queenslands best ever fucking surfer to hell , then watched for an hour and went surfing as all the sharks don’t come where I am as all the fish are gone here
“Jew, Jew, Jew,” MF shouted at the GW. The shark, an observant evangelical Christian, was so confused by the surfer’s outburst that it scurried away into the depths of the South African sea and, in so doing, spared the anti-Semitic surfer’s life.
Mick got those first 2 titles against some pretty epic competition.
I was in France watching live…….all the GWS wanted was a cuddle….Mick should think he is blessed , as he had an experience of a lifetime…embrace it as the greatest natural adventures of his life…can I have another one please?
Joe missed the chance at worldwide commentary glory.
“little splaaash”
Christ dude. Of all the things to come out with.
takes special skill to gaslight a shark attack happening live.
I was up late watching in Vicco at my now ex’s. I retired upstairs and laid down in bed after all was said and done and she woke because my whole being was emanating vibrations.
Xox
Vibrating from a finger in the bumhole?
Hahaha. Yeah why?
Xox
Will we be forced to hear about this for another ten years?
We’re already hearing about the Olympics that are happening in 3 years
Fuck, this reminds me Turpel has been fucking up moments for 10+ years, too.
Saw Mick win the 2001 Margaret River Pro when it was a QS. Dude surfed so fast I still have whiplash from trying to follow him down the line.
Has anyone seen or spoken with our friend “the shark” though? Soo much emphasis on Mick and his “feelings”… but what about the bloody sharks? Thing could be suicidal or even dead by now.
Seriously. I bet that shark felt the same why I do when I stand up and my leash catches on my front foot.
“Surfing without a leash is like having sex without a condom. “-the late Greg Browning.
Nah hes fine, just left a meeting with him actually. Turns out the cunt is an entertainment lawyer, good for him