World surfing champion Adriano de Souza talks about Mick Fanning

World champion Adriano de Souza supports Mick Fanning’s decision to take a “personal year” off tour.

World class surfers including 3 time world champ Mick Fanning hit the waves at Snapper Rocks as the swell from Cyclone Winstin arrived. Pic by Luke Marsden.

WORLD champion Adriano de Souza says he will miss his “idol’’ Mick Fanning on tour this year but hopes the Gold Coaster’s break year helps him find happiness.

De Souza has long looked up to Fanning and referenced the three-time world champion as a motivating factor when he won the world title in Hawaii last year, calling Fanning “such a strong man’’ and even saying he deserved the world title more than he did.

Fanning will compete in the opening two events on the World Surf League tour - at Snapper Rocks from today and Bells Beach - before taking a break from the sport after a tumultuous 2015.

De Souza will miss him.

“I look up to all those guys,’’ he said.

“I look up to Mick, he’s my idol. I look up to Joel (Parkinson) and Kelly (Slater) and watch all the little things they do and try to learn from them.’’

But there’s one thing he hopes for Fanning.

“I just want him to be happy,’’ he said.

“Anything that makes him happy, I think is good. That’s all I want for him is to be happy in his life.’’

That sentiment was echoed by fellow surfers Sally Fitzgibbons, Stephanie Gilmore and Bede Durbidge, who said Fanning’s absence was a chance to reflect on his importance to the sport.

“I think it gives everyone the chance to celebrate what he’s achieved as a champion after all these years,’’ she said.

“He’s just a great role model, a great champion.

“Having him so influential in my emerging years, my rookie years, he’s as an Aussie surfer, he’s one of your favourite male surfers.’’

Gilmore said Fanning deserved a break.

“I think he’ll probably take this time to do some travelling and be a tourist,’’ Gilmore said.

“We sped a lot of time on tour but you don’t necessarily get to see the place.

“I think he’ll really enjoy his time and it’ll be good for him.’’

Before that though, he will compete at the Quiksilver Pro, where close mate Bede Durbidge believes he is a great winning chance.

Durbidge, who will miss the Quiksilver Pro this week after breaking his pelvis in a horror wipeout at Pipeline last year, backed Fanning to be able to requalify for tour in just three events this season.

But he said that was unlikely to be Fanning’s main focus.

“It’s probably not really his (priority), he’s probably just surfing this year to have a bit of fun,’’ Durbidge said.

“He’s such a great human being, everyone just wants the best for him.’’

Mick deserves a good break. I think he’ll probably take this time to do some travelling and be a tourist.

“We sped a lot of time on tour but you don’t necessarily get to see the place.

“I think he’ll really enjoy his time and it’ll be good for him.