EXCLUSIVE Surfing icon Mick Fanning opens up about his chances of coming out of retirement - and the everyday task he loves since quitting the tour
Speaking ahead of his annual Charity Golf Day at the Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club on June 13, the three-time world champion is loving life away from the gruelling professional tour - and the 43-year-old has no plans to emulate fellow icon Kelly Slater.
Remarkably, Slater is still competing at 53.
'I definitely don't have itchy feet,' Fanning, who stepped aside from WSL events in 2018, told Daily Mail Australia.
'When I was on the tour, I threw everything into my performance.
'I've competed as a wildcard in a few events, but I'm definitely happy to be retired, I've got plenty of life projects to focus on.'
One of those projects is the Mick Fanning Charity Golf Day, which sees plenty of Aussie A-list stars take part.
The likes of Dylan Alcott, Sally Pearson, Ellyse Perry, Pat Rafter and Karl Stefanovic are expected on the greens this Friday, with the focus securing much-needed funds for those in need.
'Since 2022, we have raised almost $2million, which is something I am very proud of,' the Gold Coaster said.
'I'm not much of a golfer myself, I just like having a hit with my mates. 'Knowing it is for such a good cause, that motivates me.'
Fanning will also 'celebrate' the 10-year anniversary of his infamous shark attack this July, where he became a global sensation.
Competing at J-Bay in South Africa on July 19 in 2015, Fanning fought off a great white when competing in the final against his great mate Julian Wilson - and lived to tell the tale.
The vision was seen by millions - and Fanning knows it is the first question on many people's lips when they meet him.
'I've dealt with it, I've moved on,' he said. 'It was a big incident at the time, I get it is a talking point. It was a crazy moment.'
In 2016, Fanning - along with fellow surfers Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr and Bede Durbidge - founded Balter Brewing.
The windfall has been staggering, with Carlton United Breweries (CUB) eventually buying out the brand three years later.
It is rumoured the return was around $200million - not bad for a bunch of laidback surfers.
Born in Penrith, the die-hard Panthers fan has watched on with pride as Ivan Cleary's men have created a dynasty in the NRL after winning four successive premierships dating back to 2021.
Much like his own career in the ocean, Fanning linked their sustained success to incredible athleticism, seizing big moments and calling on an expert coaching staff.
And when it comes to the future of professional surfing, 'White Lightning' is excited.
'The world has evolved so much since I was on tour... look at sports science and how professional everyone is,' he said.
Now a father of two, Fanning loves the daily drop off - and after school activities on the Gold Coast
'Adding surfing to the Olympics has also been great... sponsors are now getting behind athletes as they compete on the ultimate stage.
'I can only see the sport going to another level.'
A father of two, Fanning loves the daily drop-off - and after school activities, one of which naturally for his son Xander, is surfing.
He also has a daughter, Lyla Skye.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Sam Kerr fans go berserk over Matildas star's HUGE news
Matildas star Sam Kerr has insisted there's no reason why she can't get back to her prolific goal-scoring best as she reveals she's on the verge of her long-awaited playing return with Chelsea. Kerr hasn't played for club or country since tearing her ACL on a Chelsea training camp in January 2024. Her rehabilitation has had setbacks, including requiring further surgery earlier this year, while she also endured a high-profile court case in February. There is still no fixed date for her return but Kerr is now back training with her teammates, who have been on a training camp in the Netherlands. Australia's greatest goalscorer, who has enjoyed a trophy-laden six years at Chelsea, backed herself in to deliver when she returns for her club. 'My contribution is goals; it's as simple as that,' Kerr told Chelsea's website. 'For the last, however many years, I've been within the top goalscorers, if not the top goalscorer in the team, and that's where I want to come back to, I've got high expectations of myself. 'I have a lot of confidence in my ability, so the contribution for me is straightforward. It's goals. That's what I'm here to do, and that's what I normally do, so there's no reason why I can't do it again.' Kerr has relished her return to more regular programming at Chelsea, who open their season against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on September 5, after her horror injury run. 'During an injury, you're alone a lot,' Kerr said. 'So it's good to be back with the girls, just doing the same training sessions as them rather than solitary rehab sessions. 'It's nice to be back with the girls, back on the pitch, and yeah, I'm excited. I'm most looking forward to being out there, scoring goals and having fun.' Soccer fans couldn't contain their joy over the update. 'LFG!!!!!!' one wrote on X. 'This year will be next level!' added another. 'Coming for that golden boot,' wrote another fan, referring to the award for the world's best player. 'The moment she steps back onto the pitch will be glorious,' another commenter wrote. Kerr's enthusiasm will be welcome news for Matildas coach Joe Montemurro, who hopes to have her back firing ahead of next year's Asian Cup, along with Mary Fowler, who recently started running as she attempts to return from her own ACL tear. Chelsea will be especially keen to have her back in their attacking fold, with England dynamo Lauren James to miss the start of the season through an ankle injury suffered in the Women's Euros final win over Spain. Kerr, who has been joined by Matildas teammate Ellie Carpenter at Chelsea, is also keen to play under manager Sonia Bompastor for the first time. 'Sonia's very demanding as a manager,' she said. 'I've only been back in training for a couple of weeks with her, but I enjoy working under her and Cami (assistant coach Camille Abily), they're great.
The Guardian
37 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Character actors: Australia's children celebrate 80 years of Book Week
Australia's Children's Book Week is celebrating its 80th year in style, with children donning their best costumes for the traditional parade in schools across the country this week. The event is being held from 16-23 August this year and has the theme 'Book an Adventure'. It is run by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA), which has been promoting literacy and reading for children since the end of the second world war. Book Week began in 1945 when a group of women wanted to raise the profile of Australian children's literature, according to the CBCA's Jo Panckridge. 'These ladies, way back in the 1940s, started working to encourage authors and illustrators to write books that would resonate with Australian children,' Panckridge said. 'We'd had so many English books up until then coming into Australia so they felt that children needed to know a little bit more about their country, their culture and the things that resonated with them.' But Book Week has a special importance in the 21st century: in 2023, the Australian Bureau of Statistics found 76% of children aged between five and eight read for pleasure but just 63% of those aged 12 to 14 did the same. 'Book Week is a celebration of the best Australian literature, it's a celebration of reading, a celebration of the joy of being able to read in this country and to encourage and advocate reading for pleasure and reading books to children,' Panckridge said. 'Book an Adventure' was chosen as the theme this year because 'with books, a reader can venture anywhere at anytime and can meet any number of people from the past to the future and the present without ever leaving their bedroom', Panckridge said.
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Iconic Sydney venue announces shock closure after 38 years: 'Deep sadness, shock and regret'
A long-running Sydney live entertainment establishment on The Corso in Manly will soon close its doors for the last time. The Old Manly Boatshed owner Goff Burgess announced the sad closure of the legacy venue in a Facebook post titled: 'The End of an Era'. 'Due to circumstances beyond our control, it is with deep sadness and regret, that after 38 years of continuous live entertainment, music, dancing, comedy, restaurant and bar, our beloved venue is being forced to close its doors,' Goff said. Although he didn't provide a reason for the 'forced' closure, Goff added that it was a 'shock'. 'To say this is a shock is a total understatement,' he wrote. '[W]hile it's hard to imagine Manly without The Boaty, what remains is the legacy we've built. 'For generations, it has become more than just a venue, it has been a piece of Manly's history.' In his lengthy farewell tribute, the owner recapped the venue's storied history, starting with its establishment 'back in 1987' by Goff along with co-owner Grant McMinn. He also acknowledged that the venue had received help and support from their 'long time friends from Manly Surf and Rugby Clubs'. From the time when it first opened, Goff explained that the live music and comedy venue quickly became 'an iconic Manly institution'. 'The Old Manly Boatshed has grown into Australia's longest running live music and comedy venue,' he added. The owner reflected how, for many years, the establishment had come alive with bands, music, karaoke, comedians. Countless patrons and performers alike had 'navigated their way down the iconic stairway into the beating heart of entertainment in Manly'. Goff also offered a heartfelt 'thank you' to past and present staff, customers and entertainment acts. 'You filled this place with song, laughter and magic, and helped shape the Boaty into what it is,' he said. 'The Boatshed has always been a place where you never feel too old. We've always had a mixed patronage. It's a great leveller and has changed little over time.' With the imminent closure still a few weeks away, Goff invited the public to 'come down and join us, before the final curtain is drawn in mid-September, to celebrate together'. 'We will go out the way we always have with good music, great times and plenty of laughter, and carry the Boaty's spirit into the next chapter of Manly's story,' Goff concluded. The announcement quickly attracted conciliatory messages from local community members and venue patrons. 'Very sad news, Manly is about to lose an icon,' read one reply. 'Very sad. Such a massive loss to Manly's live entertainment,' added another. Others reflected fondly on their favourite memories of nights out at 'The Boaty'. 'Very sad news, so many late nights with lots of dancing to a lot of great bands on stage.' '[A]ll locals used to go there late at night,' added another. 'So many fun nights spent at the Boaty,' chimed in a third person. One woman replied saying that she'd celebrated her 18th birthday there - and decades later returned to party again for her 50th birthday. Some of the famous acts to have previously graced the stage of The Old Manly Boatshed have included Richard Clapton, The Badloves, Ian Moss, Midnight Oil, Jimmy Barnes and Diesel.
