Michael Eugene "Mick" Fanning, nicknamed "White Lightning", (born June 13, 1981) is an Australian professional surfer, triple world champion. Fanning won the 2007, 2009 and 2013 ASP World Tour. He was born in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia on 13 June 1981 to Irish parents. Fanning learned to surf at the age of 5 in coastal South Australia at a town called Mt Gambier, but did not go full on until his family moved to Tweed Heads when he was twelve. He grew up with fellow professional surfer, Joel Parkinson and both attended Palm Beach Currumbin State High School together. On the edge of the Queensland border, Fanning had access to epic surf north and south and he began to make a name for himself. In 1996 he established himself as one of the very best surfers to rule the Queensland points by placing in the top three at the Australian National Titles. But, tragedy stuck in 1998 when his brother Sean died in a car accident along with fellow surfer Joel Green.
He was also caring when he took a wild card entry at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in 2001 winning one of Australia's most acclaimed contests. He finished 2002 as rookie of the year winning the Billabong Pro at Jeffrey's Bay and earning himself a slot on the 2002 tour as the World Qualifying Series' (WQS) Champion. He suffered a complete hamstring tear in 2004. He had to have it surgically repaired and made an incredible comeback to become one of the greatest surfers on the ASP world tour.
The year 2007 marked Fanning's sixth year on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour since 2002 and his ninth year on the ASP WQS since 1998. He began his 2007 World Title campaign (WCT) with a victory at the Quiksilver Pro, the first event on the Foster's ASP World Tour, putting himself on top of the ratings. He won the Santa Catarina Pro in Brazil on 6 November 2007 placing above Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater therefore clinching the 2007 ASP world title.
In 2008 he suffered a mid-season groin injury. He slipped to eighth position on the end of year ratings. In 2009, Mick Fanning reclaimed his ASP World Champion crown at the famous Pipeline reef break on Oahu’s North Shore. Although Fanning was knocked out by fellow Australian Dean Morrison in Round 4, his points lead from winning three of the last four events was enough to secure victory. He then clinched it again in 2013 with a comeback victory in both round five, as well as the quarter-finals at Pipeline.
In the final of the 2015 J-Bay Open against Julian Wilson, Fanning was attacked by a shark, but was unscathed, resulting in the cancellation of the remainder of the event. According to an interview with WideWorld magazine, Fanning's favourite surf spots in Australia include Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast, Bells Beach in Victoria and Gnarloo in Western Australia.
