Mick Fanning was born in Penrith, the youngest of five siblings, and learned to surf when he was just three years old.

Growing up with fellow pro-surfer Joel Parkinson in Tweed Heads, he threw himself into surfing and was crowned Australian junior surfing champion in 1997.

That next year, Mick’s brother Sean was killed in a car accident and Mick devoted himself to the sport that they both loved.

In 2001, he received a wild-card entry to the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach and was granted a spot on the pro-tour later that year. In 2002, Mick won Rookie of the Year, winning the Billabong Pro at Jeffrey’s Bay.

Mick continued to dominate surfing, winning the World Champion title 3 times in 2007, 2009 and 2013.

In 2015, Mick was attacked by a suspected Great White Shark on live TV during the J-Bay Open Finals at Jeffrey’s Bay. For a few terrifying seconds, viewers were unsure of Mick’s fate as a wave obscured the camera vision.

Mick retired from professional surfing in 2018 and launched Balter Brewing Company.

Tragically for Mick and his family, they have since lost both Ed and Peter, Mick’s brothers, to unrelated illnesses.

Mick became a father in 2020 to Xander, and welcomed daughter Lyla with his partner in 2024.