Mick’s return suits him just fine
MICK Fanning is back – and he’s feeling as sharp as he looks.
The three-time world champion was at a Melbourne function for fashion label Van Heusen this week, providing a rare glimpse of one of the world’s most famous surfers in a suit.
Next month he will be seen in more familiar attire when he returns to competition in the opening round of the world tour at Snapper Rocks – a test he is relishing.
“I’ve been training pretty hard and getting the body back after six months of laziness,” he said.
“It’s been exciting to get the body back to a place where I’m happy with it.”
Fanning has committed to the other two Australian rounds, at Margaret River and Bells Beach, but beyond that he remains unsure what he will do next.
“I will probably make up my mind soon,” he said. “If it’s something I enjoy going back to, then I might stay. If not, then I will disappear again.”
One thing Fanning is sure of is that he won’t be competing when surfing makes its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, although he’s delighted the sport is getting the recognition it deserves.
“It’s pretty awesome for the sport to be in the Olympics,” he said. “(But) I think there are going to be better people than me in four years time. I’ll be fat and old.”