For Mick Fanning, the shark attack 'was just something that happened'
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here When live broadcasters on the eastern cape of South Africa captured the terrifying moment a shark trailed Australian surf icon Mick Fanning just minutes into the 2015 J-Bay Open Final, viewers across the world gripped their couches and braced for the worst. But as the 10th anniversary of the champion wave rider's brush with death looms, Fanning is remarkably relaxed about his miraculous escape from harm. "It was just something that happened," he told 9news.com.au . The infamous shark incident during the 2015 J-Bay Open Final was broadcast around the world. (World Surf League via Getty Imag) "To be honest, it wasn't like a flick of the switch moment where I was gonna change my whole life. "I just had to do work on myself to get myself back to, you know, surfing and stuff like that." After the near-attack in July 2015, Fanning returned to Jeffreys Bay the following year where he took out the competition, before retiring from WSL competition in 2018 as a three-time world champion. Since then, the Ballina-bred surfer has turned his focus - and perhaps his broader legacy - to charity. In March 2022, TV cameras were again fixed on Fanning, who again donned his signature wetsuit as he traversed deadly flood waters on his jet ski , carrying essential supplies and helping dozens of locals in the Northern Rivers to safe ground. Mick Fanning has used his jet ski to help flood impacted victims in Murwillumbah. (9News) "I know that area really well," Fanning said. The 43-year-old learned to surf in Ballina before honing his skills after moving to the Gold Coast as a teenager. "It's a place that I love and I got plenty of friends down there so I had a lot of friends that were affected by it all." From there, Mick Fanning's Charity Golf Day was born. The inaugural event raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the flood recovery. Three years on, that figure is approaching $2 million, but the circumstances across the region are devastatingly similar. "It seems like it's just happening every other year now," Fanning said. "I guess on the ground and in doing all the rescue work and helping people get back on their feet, you build relationships and ... we've just found that a lot of people are still really struggling. "It's been three years on now and ... people are just finding out that the grants they thought they were going to get are not coming through. "Some people are just, you know, losing that hope." Fanning will be joined by celebrity mates and supporters today for his fourth annual Charity Golf Day. (Supplied) The golf day has helped raise almost $2 million for charities supporting the flood recovery effort. (Supplied) Fanning hopes some of the community's faith can be restored when a star-studded lineup of Aussie sporting legends and celebrities converge on the green at Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club today for the fourth annual Charity Golf Day. "We're just here to let them know that we're still here we're still thinking of them and still trying to help where we can," he said. "There's some incredible people that are all coming out to support and yeah, we're very thankful for all their support and donating their time." Famous faces such as Dylan Alcott, Ellyse Perry, Hamish Blake, Sally Pearson, Karl Stefanovic and Shannon Noll will be swinging their drivers alongside generous supporters to raise vital funds for on-the-ground charities including Givit, Human Nature, and Hands On Hearts. This year, $1 million and a Mercedes-Benz are on the line if players can snag a hole-in-one. "It keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger and you know we try and add something new and exciting each and every year," Fanning said. "It's pretty massive that we can do things like that and just keep making the day bigger and better and hopefully raise more money for those in need, and actually raise more awareness." Fans who want a chance to win a year's supply of Balter beer, or would like to make a donation or purchase merch designed by street artist Sid Tapia, can visit the Mick Fanning Charity Golf Day website . floods
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Legendary coach accepts para swimmer for first time
Tom Gallagher senses his duty after becoming the first para swimmer accepted into the program of legendary coach Dean Boxall. Gallagher is among a 25-strong Australian squad for the world para swimming championships in Singapore from September 21-27. The 26-year-old freestyler and backstroker, who has cerebral palsy and races in S10 events, joined Boxall only five weeks ago. "It's a very big honour for me, to be the first para swimmer under Dean," Gallagher told AAP on Friday night. "It's also a responsibility to represent the para community with pride and show that we don't have any limitations. "If I can do the hardest program in Australia, why can't anyone else?" Gallagher, who has won one gold and three bronze medals from his two Paralympics, approached Boxall, who coaches star able-bodied swimmers including Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan. "I just reached out ... and they let me in five weeks ago," he said. "It has changed the game for me. It has made me fall in love again with swimming. "It has been the hardest five weeks of training in my life but I have loved every second of it. "The squad there, the support staff, Dean - it's just the perfect environment. "And to be surrounded by the best athletes in the world, it's unbelievable and it gets the best out of myself." Australia's para team for the looming worlds includes 17-year-old rookie Declan Budd and 22 swimmers who raced at last year's Paris Paralympics. The Paris opening ceremony flag bearer, Brenden Hall, will compete at his fifth and final world titles in Singapore. The Dolphins' para team also features Ben Hance, who broke his own world record in the 100m backstroke (S14) at the Adelaide trials. Hance set a fresh benchmark of 56.35 seconds in a heat swim on Friday morning. Tom Gallagher senses his duty after becoming the first para swimmer accepted into the program of legendary coach Dean Boxall. Gallagher is among a 25-strong Australian squad for the world para swimming championships in Singapore from September 21-27. The 26-year-old freestyler and backstroker, who has cerebral palsy and races in S10 events, joined Boxall only five weeks ago. "It's a very big honour for me, to be the first para swimmer under Dean," Gallagher told AAP on Friday night. "It's also a responsibility to represent the para community with pride and show that we don't have any limitations. "If I can do the hardest program in Australia, why can't anyone else?" Gallagher, who has won one gold and three bronze medals from his two Paralympics, approached Boxall, who coaches star able-bodied swimmers including Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan. "I just reached out ... and they let me in five weeks ago," he said. "It has changed the game for me. It has made me fall in love again with swimming. "It has been the hardest five weeks of training in my life but I have loved every second of it. "The squad there, the support staff, Dean - it's just the perfect environment. "And to be surrounded by the best athletes in the world, it's unbelievable and it gets the best out of myself." Australia's para team for the looming worlds includes 17-year-old rookie Declan Budd and 22 swimmers who raced at last year's Paris Paralympics. The Paris opening ceremony flag bearer, Brenden Hall, will compete at his fifth and final world titles in Singapore. The Dolphins' para team also features Ben Hance, who broke his own world record in the 100m backstroke (S14) at the Adelaide trials. Hance set a fresh benchmark of 56.35 seconds in a heat swim on Friday morning. Tom Gallagher senses his duty after becoming the first para swimmer accepted into the program of legendary coach Dean Boxall. Gallagher is among a 25-strong Australian squad for the world para swimming championships in Singapore from September 21-27. The 26-year-old freestyler and backstroker, who has cerebral palsy and races in S10 events, joined Boxall only five weeks ago. "It's a very big honour for me, to be the first para swimmer under Dean," Gallagher told AAP on Friday night. "It's also a responsibility to represent the para community with pride and show that we don't have any limitations. "If I can do the hardest program in Australia, why can't anyone else?" Gallagher, who has won one gold and three bronze medals from his two Paralympics, approached Boxall, who coaches star able-bodied swimmers including Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan. "I just reached out ... and they let me in five weeks ago," he said. "It has changed the game for me. It has made me fall in love again with swimming. "It has been the hardest five weeks of training in my life but I have loved every second of it. "The squad there, the support staff, Dean - it's just the perfect environment. "And to be surrounded by the best athletes in the world, it's unbelievable and it gets the best out of myself." Australia's para team for the looming worlds includes 17-year-old rookie Declan Budd and 22 swimmers who raced at last year's Paris Paralympics. The Paris opening ceremony flag bearer, Brenden Hall, will compete at his fifth and final world titles in Singapore. The Dolphins' para team also features Ben Hance, who broke his own world record in the 100m backstroke (S14) at the Adelaide trials. Hance set a fresh benchmark of 56.35 seconds in a heat swim on Friday morning.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Piastri sees 'cooler' stats ahead after great start
Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong." Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong." Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong." Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong."
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Piastri sees 'cooler' stats ahead after great start
Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong."
