Quiky, Roxy pros tipped to start today

MICK Fanning may be taking a “personal year’’ but he showed his focus is nowhere but Snapper Rocks after winning his opening heat at the Quiksilver Pro.

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MICK Fanning may be taking a “personal year’’ but he showed his focus is nowhere but Snapper Rocks after winning his opening heat at the Quiksilver Pro.

Fanning posted scores of 8.87 and 8.37 to beat wildcard Wade Carmichael and Matt Banting in an all-Aussie affair in Heat 5 of the opening round.

Fanning took an early lead with a seven-point ride but Carmichael, who spent three years living on the Gold Coast and surfing the Snapper break, took over after posting an 8.93.

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Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks. Photo of Mick Fanning in Round 1. Picture: Richard Gosling

But Fanning then posted two scores in the eight-point range to take a lead he never relinquished.

The Quiksilver Pro got underway at noon in 1-1.2m conditions after the contest was put on hold this morning to wait for the tide to go out.

Ryan Callinan surfing yesterday.

Brazil’s Italo Ferreira, Tahiti’s Michel Bourez, defending champion Filipe Toldeo and former world champ Gabriel Medina won the first four heats of the day before Fanning took the water.

Part of the crowd at Snapper Rocks yesterday.

Parko wins Round 1 superheat

JOEL Parkinson has won his Round 1 superheat at Snapper Rocks to end the opening day of the Quiksilver Pro.

Parkinson led for most of the heat against prodigious Hawaiian John John Florence and tour rookie and fellow Snapper local Jack Freestone.

He won on the back of his opening score of 8.60 - one of the best scores of the day – and one backed up with a 5.50 that was enough for the heat win.

Parkinson faced a nervous wait though, with Florence stealing two waves under Parkinson’s priority but just failing to get the 6.78 he needed for victory.