Surfers rarely get attention from non-surfing publications. However that all changed earlier this year at the J-Bay Open when Mick Fanning fought off a great white shark in the final against Julian Wilson. The incident received worldwide attention with everyone from TMZ to Lady Gaga chiming in on Twitter.
So when the Tracks team noticed what was on the cover of the latest copy of Australian fashion mag ELLE we were hardly surprised to see a familiar face. Looking as strong as an Ox, three-time world champion Mick Fanning poses alongside local-born supermodel Jessica Hart – becoming the first man to appear on the cover of ELLE Australia. Vaughn Blakey has penned an exclusive interview titled ‘Close Encounter’ revealing how Fanning’s world has changed in wake of a life-affirming shark attack.
Here’s a taste of the piece:
“After his fight with the white, Fanning, momentarily at least became the most famous athlete in the world. He was the lead story on every major news outlet from New Zealand to New York. Politicians, fellow sports stars, media personalities and entertainers were giving him shout-outs on social media and he inspired thousands of memes including one shot of Fanning with the caption, “Chuck Norris? Never heard of her.”
Mick’s year has been reading like a script straight out of Hollywood. He’s survived a shark, backed it up with a win at Trestles and is now hurdling towards his fourth world title. If he can pull it off in Portugal expect the media floodgates to open far and wide as he’s lifted on the shoulders of a nation and we celebrate a remarkable year
