<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;P&gt;The fast and slow times of one Michael Eugene Fanning.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;By Adam Blakey&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;P&gt;[IMAGE 1]&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Check him out. Mick Fanning. White Lightning. The Spider Monkey. Speedy Fan-zalez. That bro who surfs super, really super-fast. Yeah, you know Mick. Couldn\\u2019t miss him. Kid got more exposure last year than Ceej and K.S. put together, and he wasn\\u2019t even on tour. Go figure? Maybe not. While he\\u2019s only been big time with the U.S. press for a couple years, Mick has been in the Australian surfing spotlight for freakin\\u2019 ever.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I remember about six years ago, I had this heavy Pizza Hut addiction. I was ordering more BBQ Meat Lover\\u2019s (with a complementary Pepsi and garlic bread) than my lowly pay packet could account for, and thus I was forced to earn some spare change commentating junior contests to keep feeding my greasy, putrid girth. Anywho, there was this one comp I went to down Winki Pop, Victoria way, that boasted a pretty heavy field. Joel Parkinson, Trent Munro, Phil MacDonald, Darren O\\u2019Rafferty, and Dean Morrison were just a few names obliterating the lineup before and during heats. But the obvious standout at this particular event was a weedy little grub with a blinding crop of shiny white hair and a skeleton so devoid of muscle tissue he looked no more human than a pile of twigs. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;This miniscule fifteen year old would attack every wave with the same frenzied ferocity a poodle with rabies attacks a defenseless sock. This unchained enthusiasm caught the eyes of many observers, in particular, those of Gary Dunne, the freshly recruited team manager for Rip Curl. At that time, Mick was riding for Quiksilver, but Dunne had seen enough from this Gold Coast prodigy to make a poaching inevitable.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;#8220;Keep this under your hat,&amp;#8221; he whispered to me all cloak-and-dagger-like one afternoon. &amp;#8220;By the end of the year, Mick Fanning will be riding for Rip Curl.&amp;#8221;&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;What followed was Australia\\u2019s first serious bidding war for a young kid in close to a decade, with The Curl eventually winning out. The deal\\u2013rumored to be six figures over three years\\u2013meant Fanning would come off contract with two years of junior surfing still ahead of him.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Six years on, Mick, now 21, is still happy in bed with his major sponsor. He\\u2019s got a blissful junior career behind him, a \\u2019CT win under his belt (the \\u201901 Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach), and is steadily climbing the ratings as a member of the elite 44. He\\u2019s scored some solid cred with a couple big performances on the Rock, and has also gained a rep as the fastest surfer on Earth. And here\\u2019s the part you hate most, where I say that with so many accolades, so much success, and so much exposure, you\\u2019d think Mick would be a Mariah Carey-esque diva, screaming like a banshee because his new wettie wasn\\u2019t lined with pink satin, or having a nervous breakdown because no one turned up before his heat to massage his board. But predictably, Mick is the polar opposite. He\\u2019s a thoughtful, friendly, slow-talking dude, out for no more than a laugh and a few good waves. The fact that he surfs them better than almost anyone seems to have escaped his knowledge.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;[IMAGE 2]&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;When &lt;I&gt;TWS&lt;\\/I&gt; contacted Mick for this interview, he was at Hamilton Island, an extravagant, waveless resort on the spectacular Great Barrier Reef off the far north Queensland coast. He had taken his girlfriend Cerise on a tropical birthday holiday. With little regard for their last precious moments together in an isolated oasis, we began rolling tape \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;(Phone ringing)&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Hello.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; G\\u2019day, Mick. It\\u2019s &lt;I&gt;TWS&lt;\\/I&gt; here. How\\u2019s things?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Not bad.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Great, what are you up to at the moment?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I\\u2019m just on Hamilton Island with my girlfriend. We\\u2019re at the airport, actually, waitinfor a flight home.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Bad time for an interview?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, go for it.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Sweet. We\\u2019ll get stuck into then. You\\u2019re generally regarded as the fastest surfer in the world at the moment. How do you feel about that?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Um, yeah, stoked. It\\u2019s not every day you get a rap like that, but I don\\u2019t mind it.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Were you a fast runner at school?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, I was pretty slow. Used to do cross-countries and stuff like that, went all right in those, but they\\u2019re more about endurance than speed, I think.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Did you know the fastest living creature on Earth is the peregrine falcon?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Really? Nah, I didn\\u2019t know that.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Yeah, it lives in cities, and when diving for its prey can reach speeds of up to 240 kilometers an hour.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Wow.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you reckon you could beat the peregrine falcon in a race if you were on a wave?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Ah, f\\u2013k no.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about Maurice Green, then? Reckon you can surf faster than he can run?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Oh, hell no. You kiddin\\u2019 me?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about those surfing video games?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; What about \\u2019em?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Well, the surfers on them get to pick one trademark move that the computer-programmer geeks make possible. Do you reckon your trademark would be to go faster than everyone?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; (Laughs) F\\u2013k, the way you\\u2019re carrying on, it probably will be.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Who are the fastest surfers on tour?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Kalani is the fastest, I reckon. Then Slater. F\\u2013k, there\\u2019re heaps. Everyone is pretty out of control. Hey, my phone is almost out of batteries, so if I cut out you\\u2019ll have to call me back later.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; No worries. I guess that\\u2019s enough about speed, let\\u2019s talk world titles. Now that Lennox Lewis has knocked out Mike Tyson, is he the undisputed heavyweight of the world?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah for sure. He thrashed him. Lennox is king.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about the U.S. soccer team? They went all right in the World Cup. Do you think they might win it one day?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, not likely. They\\u2019ve been playing pretty good, but they haven\\u2019t got the goods. Senegal is my team anyway.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about in surfing? Who\\u2019s looking dangerous? Who\\u2019re the challengers?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Man, it\\u2019s all weird. Guys can be right at the bottom of the ratings and a good result can fling \\u2019em right up there. Lowey wasn\\u2019t doing that good before Fiji, and now he\\u2019s in the top ten thanks to one win. He\\u2019s in the race and&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;\\u2026 &lt;I&gt;bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026 bleep&lt;\\/I&gt; \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;[IMAGE 3]&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick\\u2019s phone runs out of batteries. Your correspondent tries not to cry, as he is suddenly cast back into the desolate and lonely life of the freelance surf writer. Staring at a wall for the next six hours, he decides to try Mick\\u2019s home phone around 7:00 p.m. Mick picks up. The interview resumes \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; G\\u2019day, Mick. Nice flight home?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, not bad.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Sweet. So we were talking about World Title threats. Who you picking?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, that\\u2019s right. Well, the obvious guys are Andy, Occ, and Louie. The Lopez brothers are doing really well. Um, Parko is up there. Shit, anyone in the top ten could do it.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Does \\u2019CT life meet all the expectations you had as a kid?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, it\\u2019s sort of weird. Sometimes it can be really good, and other times it can be pretty bad. It\\u2019s really hard when it just starts and stops all the time. You can feel like you\\u2019re just starting to get some rhythm, and then all of a sudden there\\u2019s three days off \\u2019cause it goes flat or something. So you just have to learn to be &amp;#8220;on&amp;#8221; for that half hour, no matter when it pops up. Then, hopefully, you can keep getting through heats.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You had any tough heats since qualifying?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Probably the hardest one was against Willsy at Bells. The waves were shithouse, and he was going absolutely mad. I made a mistake by giving him a wave. That heat sticks out the most in my mind as the hardest.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do the weeping old codgers give you a hand by offering any tips, or do they keep their cards close to their chest?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Guys like Louie and Occ will give me advice. Hog and the boys do, too, though they\\u2019re a bit younger. Everyone generally helps each other out until you draw them in a heat. Then they keep their cards close to their chests for sure (laughs).&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Have you surfed against Kelly yet?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, we had a heat at &lt;FONT FACE=\\\"New York\\\" SIZE=4&gt;Teahupo\\u2018o. Um, I dunno how I went. (There\\u2019s a silent, lengthy pause as Mick reflects.) Oh, yeah, that\\u2019s right, I came last. Yeah, he was actually late for it. It was a first-round heat, a three man-er, so no one really cared. Peterson Rosa actually won the heat. He got a nine at the beginning, so Kelly and I had to settle for second and third in that order.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you feel pressure on yourself having to perform at places like Teahupo&lt;FONT FACE=\\\"New York\\\" SIZE=4&gt;\\u2018o?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah. I was shitting myself before going. Before I left I was having full-on nightmares about going over the falls and stuff like that. But you know, when you get there and see how good the waves are, you don\\u2019t really worry about how you\\u2019re going to perform. You just want to get out there and get the best waves you can. I mean, a wave there, it\\u2019ll either be the beast of your life or the best barrel of your life. You just gotta go.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about Pipe?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I don\\u2019t mind surfing Pipe. It\\u2019s actually pretty fun, I think. It\\u2019s not as perfect as Teahupo\\u2018o. You know which ones are gonna be perfect at Teahupo\\u2018o, but Pipe\\u2019s full of surprises. I can\\u2019t wait for the end of the year, though\\u2013should be great.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You\\u2019ve been the most exposed surfer on Earth over the past year. Has that fame changed your life?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I try to take no notice of it. You know, keep clear of it and do what I normally do. If someone comes up and says hello, then I try to be nice. Give them the time of day.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about groms?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; It\\u2019s weird \\u2019cause I\\u2019m just a grom myself. But it\\u2019s good if the kids are happy. I still get stoked talking to all the blokes who I admired growing up.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about all the modeling. How do you go getting your gear off?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Oh yeah\\u2013my rig, mate.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; How\\u2019s your rig going?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; &lt;I&gt;Aaarhh&lt;\\/I&gt;, it\\u2019s fingered at the moment.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you spend much time in front of the mirror checking yourself out, rubbing oil on your rig and that?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I get the rig all oiled up before I check the surf sometimes. It\\u2019s sweet.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; On the average beach girl\\u2019s rig-o-meter how do you reckon you\\u2019d rate?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Mate, I\\u2019d be a minus ten with this spindly rig (laughs).&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about in the days before surf stardom? Did you do all right with girls back then?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, they all f\\u2013kin\\u2019 hated me. I never even used to talk to them. Couldn\\u2019t be f\\u2013ked.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What do you think when you look at yourself in those shirtless Rip Curl ads? Saucy bit of primo beef or malnourished greyhound in desperate need of a good fee46;s three days off \\u2019cause it goes flat or something. So you just have to learn to be &amp;#8220;on&amp;#8221; for that half hour, no matter when it pops up. Then, hopefully, you can keep getting through heats.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You had any tough heats since qualifying?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Probably the hardest one was against Willsy at Bells. The waves were shithouse, and he was going absolutely mad. I made a mistake by giving him a wave. That heat sticks out the most in my mind as the hardest.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do the weeping old codgers give you a hand by offering any tips, or do they keep their cards close to their chest?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Guys like Louie and Occ will give me advice. Hog and the boys do, too, though they\\u2019re a bit younger. Everyone generally helps each other out until you draw them in a heat. Then they keep their cards close to their chests for sure (laughs).&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Have you surfed against Kelly yet?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, we had a heat at &lt;FONT FACE=\\\"New York\\\" SIZE=4&gt;Teahupo\\u2018o. Um, I dunno how I went. (There\\u2019s a silent, lengthy pause as Mick reflects.) Oh, yeah, that\\u2019s right, I came last. Yeah, he was actually late for it. It was a first-round heat, a three man-er, so no one really cared. Peterson Rosa actually won the heat. He got a nine at the beginning, so Kelly and I had to settle for second and third in that order.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you feel pressure on yourself having to perform at places like Teahupo&lt;FONT FACE=\\\"New York\\\" SIZE=4&gt;\\u2018o?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah. I was shitting myself before going. Before I left I was having full-on nightmares about going over the falls and stuff like that. But you know, when you get there and see how good the waves are, you don\\u2019t really worry about how you\\u2019re going to perform. You just want to get out there and get the best waves you can. I mean, a wave there, it\\u2019ll either be the beast of your life or the best barrel of your life. You just gotta go.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about Pipe?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I don\\u2019t mind surfing Pipe. It\\u2019s actually pretty fun, I think. It\\u2019s not as perfect as Teahupo\\u2018o. You know which ones are gonna be perfect at Teahupo\\u2018o, but Pipe\\u2019s full of surprises. I can\\u2019t wait for the end of the year, though\\u2013should be great.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You\\u2019ve been the most exposed surfer on Earth over the past year. Has that fame changed your life?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I try to take no notice of it. You know, keep clear of it and do what I normally do. If someone comes up and says hello, then I try to be nice. Give them the time of day.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about groms?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; It\\u2019s weird \\u2019cause I\\u2019m just a grom myself. But it\\u2019s good if the kids are happy. I still get stoked talking to all the blokes who I admired growing up.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about all the modeling. How do you go getting your gear off?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Oh yeah\\u2013my rig, mate.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; How\\u2019s your rig going?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; &lt;I&gt;Aaarhh&lt;\\/I&gt;, it\\u2019s fingered at the moment.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you spend much time in front of the mirror checking yourself out, rubbing oil on your rig and that?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I get the rig all oiled up before I check the surf sometimes. It\\u2019s sweet.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; On the average beach girl\\u2019s rig-o-meter how do you reckon you\\u2019d rate?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Mate, I\\u2019d be a minus ten with this spindly rig (laughs).&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What about in the days before surf stardom? Did you do all right with girls back then?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, they all f\\u2013kin\\u2019 hated me. I never even used to talk to them. Couldn\\u2019t be f\\u2013ked.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What do you think when you look at yourself in those shirtless Rip Curl ads? Saucy bit of primo beef or malnourished greyhound in desperate need of a good feed?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; (Laughs) I dunno, but f\\u2013k, I hate doing those things. They\\u2019re good for about two seconds, but you\\u2019re just standing around all day. If you could get it over and done with without all the waiting it\\u2019d be all right, but I\\u2019m no model.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; My little sister had a crush on you for a while, but now she\\u2019s in love with this brickies laborer named Mike. Are you bummed that she never got to see the real you, only the Mick in the mags, before she moved on?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Well, you never know. She may have bumped into me at the pub and realized I was just a dickhead.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Will you try to fight Mike the brickies laborer if you ever see him?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, mate. I\\u2019m a lover not a fighter.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; How long have you been with your girlfriend now?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I\\u2019ve been with Cerise for about three years. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What does she think of Mick Zoolander?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; She gets all weirded out.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Any incidents where, say, you and Cerise are hanging out down the beach and some desperate fanatic will spot you and scream something like, &amp;#8220;Mick Fanning, I want you to be your personal erotic plaything! Whip me, whip me, whip me, you know that\\u2019s how I like it!&amp;#8221;?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Not in those words, but there\\u2019s been a couple of uncomfortable moments. It\\u2019s f\\u2013ked. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Well, modeling aside, do you still get stoked with a good surf shot in the mag, or has the novelty worn off?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I don\\u2019t think I get that many good surf shots, actually. They\\u2019re all usually just the same old thing. Pull-off-the-back airs and all that. Pretty ordinary.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; So what sort of photos would it take to stoke you out?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I dunno. It\\u2019d be nice to do a good hack one day, but my skinny little rig don\\u2019t do much in that department.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Ambition-wise what\\u2019s your plan?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I\\u2019m just taking it as it comes. At the moment I\\u2019m just trying to learn a lot of things. I\\u2019m on a big learning curve at the moment.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you see yourself as a World Champion?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I dunno. Does anyone? I\\u2019d love to do it, but I look at the guys like Luke Egan and Kalani and Machado. All those guys have come so close, but only one guy a year can be the world champ, so a lot of good surfers are missing out. I don\\u2019t know if not winning the world title would take away from your career. But I would love to do it, for sure.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You, Parko, and Dean Morrison are regarded as spearheading the new push\\u2013kind of like when the Momentum crew first arrived. Where do you reckon the next push will come from?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; There\\u2019re a couple of guys from Brazil who surf pretty damn good, but you could say anywhere has the potential to do it. The kids in Hawai\\u2018i right now, they\\u2019re surfing pretty damn good, too. I think it comes down to whoever is given a break. I always believed Australia had the best surfers getting the least money, but in the past few years it\\u2019s been getting better. Anyone given a break can do it.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; So life at home is pretty good at the moment?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, you could say that.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Take us through a normal day in the life of Mick Fanning.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; If the waves are good I\\u2019ll get up early and go for a surf. Then I\\u2019ll come in and have a feed, do some stretching, go for another surf, have lunch, maybe have a little sleep, surf again, and have some tea.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Sounds tough?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, it\\u2019s hard.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Is it hard to stay motivated when the surf\\u2019s shit?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Sometimes, but I try and get out there every day. I get amped to surf pretty easily.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Been trying any new moves?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, I don\\u2019t invent moves, I steal them from other people. If I was focusing on anything at the moment it\\u2019d be just smashing it as hard as I can. Big hacks and nice big carves.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What are your plans this evening and the next few weeks?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Tonight I\\u2019m packing my boards \\u2019cause I\\u2019m going to Indo in the morning.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Shit, you\\u2019ve spent some time up there.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I can\\u2019t get enough of the place. I haven\\u2019t been up there this year, so I\\u2019m pretty excited.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Well, thanks for talking to us, Mick. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Good to have a chat.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You know we could just talk for a while longer if you want, \\u2019cause being a surf journo, I haven\\u2019t got that many friends. After you hang up aall I\\u2019ve really got to do with my time is stare at the wall, so do you wanna talk for a bit longer? Mick \\u2026 Mick are you there \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;Bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt;&lt;P&gt;[IMAGE 4]&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Last year Mick took a ride in a (enter name of jet), which means he has at least once in his life gone faster than a peregrine falcon and Maurice Green. Plus he didn\\u2019t black out, or spew, or piss his pants, even while turning at Mach seven. Kid can handle speed. Kid can handle the pace.&lt;\\/P&gt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; (Laughs) I dunno, but f\\u2013k, I hate doing those things. They\\u2019re good for about two seconds, but you\\u2019re just standing around all day. If you could get it over and done with without all the waiting it\\u2019d be all right, but I\\u2019m no model.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; My little sister had a crush on you for a while, but now she\\u2019s in love with this brickies laborer named Mike. Are you bummed that she never got to see the real you, only the Mick in the mags, before she moved on?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Well, you never know. She may have bumped into me at the pub and realized I was just a dickhead.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Will you try to fight Mike the brickies laborer if you ever see him?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, mate. I\\u2019m a lover not a fighter.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; How long have you been with your girlfriend now?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I\\u2019ve been with Cerise for about three years. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What does she think of Mick Zoolander?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; She gets all weirded out.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Any incidents where, say, you and Cerise are hanging out down the beach and some desperate fanatic will spot you and scream something like, &amp;#8220;Mick Fanning, I want you to be your personal erotic plaything! Whip me, whip me, whip me, you know that\\u2019s how I like it!&amp;#8221;?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Not in those words, but there\\u2019s been a couple of uncomfortable moments. It\\u2019s f\\u2013ked. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Well, modeling aside, do you still get stoked with a good surf shot in the mag, or has the novelty worn off?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I don\\u2019t think I get that many good surf shots, actually. They\\u2019re all usually just the same old thing. Pull-off-the-back airs and all that. Pretty ordinary.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; So what sort of photos would it take to stoke you out?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I dunno. It\\u2019d be nice to do a good hack one day, but my skinny little rig don\\u2019t do much in that department.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Ambition-wise what\\u2019s your plan?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I\\u2019m just taking it as it comes. At the moment I\\u2019m just trying to learn a lot of things. I\\u2019m on a big learning curve at the moment.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Do you see yourself as a World Champion?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I dunno. Does anyone? I\\u2019d love to do it, but I look at the guys like Luke Egan and Kalani and Machado. All those guys have come so close, but only one guy a year can be the world champ, so a lot of good surfers are missing out. I don\\u2019t know if not winning the world title would take away from your career. But I would love to do it, for sure.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You, Parko, and Dean Morrison are regarded as spearheading the new push\\u2013kind of like when the Momentum crew first arrived. Where do you reckon the next push will come from?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; There\\u2019re a couple of guys from Brazil who surf pretty damn good, but you could say anywhere has the potential to do it. The kids in Hawai\\u2018i right now, they\\u2019re surfing pretty damn good, too. I think it comes down to whoever is given a break. I always believed Australia had the best surfers getting the least money, but in the past few years it\\u2019s been getting better. Anyone given a break can do it.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; So life at home is pretty good at the moment?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, you could say that.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Take us through a normal day in the life of Mick Fanning.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; If the waves are good I\\u2019ll get up early and go for a surf. Then I\\u2019ll come in and have a feed, do some stretching, go for another surf, have lunch, maybe have a little sleep, surf again, and have some tea.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Sounds tough?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Yeah, it\\u2019s hard.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Is it hard to stay motivated when the surf\\u2019s shit?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Sometimes, but I try and get out there every day. I get amped to surf pretty easily.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Been trying any new moves?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, I don\\u2019t invent moves, I steal them from other people. If I was focusing on anything at the moment it\\u2019d be just smashing it as hard as I can. Big hacks and nice big carves.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What are your plans this evening and the next few weeks?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Tonight I\\u2019m packing my boards \\u2019cause I\\u2019m going to Indo in the morning.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Shit, you\\u2019ve spent some time up there.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I can\\u2019t get enough of the place. I haven\\u2019t been up there this year, so I\\u2019m pretty excited.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Well, thanks for talking to us, Mick. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Good to have a chat.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You know we could just talk for a while longer if you want, \\u2019cause being a surf journo, I haven\\u2019t got that many friends. After you hang up all I\\u2019ve really got to do with my time is stare at the wall, so do you wanna talk for a bit longer? Mick \\u2026 Mick are you there \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;Bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt;&lt;P&gt;[IMAGE 4]&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Last year Mick took a ride in a (enter name of jet), which means he has at least once in his life gone faster than a peregrine falcon and Maurice Green. Plus he didn\\u2019t black out, or spew, or piss his pants, even while turning at Mach seven. Kid can handle speed. Kid can handle the pace.&lt;\\/P&gt;retty easily.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Been trying any new moves?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Nah, I don\\u2019t invent moves, I steal them from other people. If I was focusing on anything at the moment it\\u2019d be just smashing it as hard as I can. Big hacks and nice big carves.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; What are your plans this evening and the next few weeks?&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Tonight I\\u2019m packing my boards \\u2019cause I\\u2019m going to Indo in the morning.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Shit, you\\u2019ve spent some time up there.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; I can\\u2019t get enough of the place. I haven\\u2019t been up there this year, so I\\u2019m pretty excited.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; Well, thanks for talking to us, Mick. &lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Mick:&lt;\\/B&gt; Good to have a chat.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;B&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;TWS:&lt;\\/B&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt; You know we could just talk for a while longer if you want, \\u2019cause being a surf journo, I haven\\u2019t got that many friends. After you hang up all I\\u2019ve really got to do with my time is stare at the wall, so do you wanna talk for a bit longer? Mick \\u2026 Mick are you there \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;I&gt;&lt;P&gt;Bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026 bleep \\u2026&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;\\/I&gt;&lt;P&gt;[IMAGE 4]&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Last year Mick took a ride in a (enter name of jet), which means he has at least once in his life gone faster than a peregrine falcon and Maurice Green. Plus he didn\\u2019t black out, or spew, or piss his pants, even while turning at Mach seven. Kid can handle speed. Kid can handle the pace.&lt;\\/P&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.grindtv.com/surf/pro-spotlight-mick-fanning/>