Fanning through, Slater misses WSL heat
RETIRING surf champion Mick Fanning is straight through to the third round of the Quiksilver Pro, exploiting a Kelly Slater no-show on the Gold Coast.
Fanning, who will end his 17-year professional career at Bells Beach later this month, comfortably won his heat against Jesse Mendes.
But Slater was conspicuously absent from the same heat at the World Surf League season opener at Snapper Rocks. The 11-time world champion is still hopeful of a late appearance to contest the knockout second round, but is a likely scratching given reports of lingering soreness from foot surgery.
“I was getting ready to surf against Kelly, then he texted me just before I paddled out telling me he wasn’t here,” Fanning said.
“I’ll take that as a win; I hope his foot’s OK ... one of my favourite people to compete against, we’ve had some great battles and hopefully he makes it back because I would love to surf with him one more time.”
Earlier, defending Quiksilver Pro champion Owen Wright and fellow Australian Julian Wilson had first round heat wins.
World champion John John Florence, who did not lose once in the first round last year, also has elimination hanging over him.
World surfing champion Tyler Wright was thanking her escalated pre-season training regimen after taming a brutal current to prevail in the Roxy Pro first round.
The back-to-back world title winner has returned in prime condition after overcoming a knee injury and beefing up her workrate with coach Glenn Hall. And it paid off yesterday at Snapper Rocks, where she did enough in trying conditions to top her low-scoring heat against Malia Manuel and Bianca Buitendag and gain direct entry to the third round.
Wright’s win followed an impressive heat win by title contender Carissa Moore, but the news wasn’t as good for defending champion Stephanie Gilmore who struggled in the conditions, with young Australian Macy Callaghan making the most of a late callup following injury to American fancy Courtney Conlogue.