Michael Eugene "Mick" Fanning AO, nicknamed "White Lightning" (born June 13, 1981), is an Australian professional surfer. Fanning won the 2007, 2009 and 2013 ASP World Tour. In 2015, he survived an encounter with what is suspected to be a great white shark during the J-Bay Open finals in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa.Fanning was born on June 13, 1981 in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, to Irish parents. He learned to surf from the age of 5 in south coastal South Australia, but did not focus on surfing until his family moved to Tweed Heads, New South Wales, when he was twelve. He grew up with fellow professional surfer, Joel Parkinson, in the Gold Coast/Northern Rivers region and attended Palm Beach Currumbin State High School together. On the Queensland border, Fanning had access to surf north and south and he began to make a name for himself. In 1996 he established himself as one of the best surfers on the Queensland points by placing in the top three at the Australian National Titles. Tragedy struck in 1998 when his brother Sean died in a car accident along with fellow surfer Joel Green. Wikipedia
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