MARVELLOUS MICK

IN the pantheon of Gold Coast sporting greats, Mick Fanning must lay strong claims to being the city’s best male athlete.

His biggest supporters would argue only Steph Gilmore, with six world titles, ranks higher among the city’s greats. That is not to be taken lightly.

The Gold Coast is a haven for sporting greatness. Grant Hackett, Adam Scott, Mick Doohan ...

But Fanning, for his three world crowns, longevity and triumphs over personal adversity, deserves serious billing.

The art and danger of surfing has only recently been truly recognised by old-fashioned, stuffy elitist judges who looked down their nose at the yesteryear stereotype of shoeless, long-haired louts enjoying the world’s best breaks while others worked.

In many ways, surfing is a more testing challenge than many other sports and few have done it better than Fanning.