Narrabeen Classic: Mick Fanning comes out of retirement to surf in Sydney

Two decades after he won his first event as a wildcard surfer Mick Fanning has made an extraordinary announcement about his future.

Mick Fanning heads into retirement at the 2018 Bells Beach event.

Triple world champion Mick Fanning has a new family and a new surfing goal which will see him ride out of retirement for a special wildcard appearance at the Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic.

In a shock announcement at the Newcastle Pro, Fanning revealed he will pull on the competition rashie as an event wildcard in the event from April 16 at North Narrabeen beach.

Mick Fanning will compete in the northern beaches event in April

Fanning and partner Breeana Randall have a baby son, Zander Dean Fanning who was born last August.

The event will mark his first world tour appearance since he was mobbed by fans and fellow surfers after exiting the world tour at the 2018 Bells Beach classic.

He left with three world titles, 22 event wins and infamy after surviving a shark attack.

It will also mark 20 years since he won his first major surfing event as a teenage wildcard at the 2001 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

Mick Fanning won 22 events during his 17 years on the world tour.

“I don’t think I’ll feel bad. The amount of wildcards that ruined my dreams over the years, they didn’t feel bad,” Fanning told the World Surf League.

“The biggest hurdle is actually getting ready to compete at a level that I think is right there to try and take people out.”

Top Australian surfers Sally Fitzgibbons and Mick Fanning.

SYDNEY BEACH WINS WORLD SURF LEAGUE EVENT

Athletes battling for historic medals at the Olympics in Tokyo will limber up for their surfing stoush at a new world tour event on the northern beaches in April, the Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic.

Queensland’s loss of the annual Corona Open at Snapper Rocks - over a reported refusal for a COVID bubble - is NSW’s gain with North Narrabeen to now host its first world tour event since the late 1990s.

While NSW missed out on hosting numerous sporting events to Queensland during the coronavirus pandemic, the state is striking back with news in February the best surfers in the world will be heading to Sydney in late April after competing at the Newcastle Pro.

Two other events will be surfed in Western Australia with Queensland completely missing out on hosting an event this season.

CROWDS? SELFIES? WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO AT THE NARRABEEN CLASSIC

North Narrabeen will host the best surfers in the world at the new April event. Pic: John Grainger

World class surfers will begin arriving in March and undergo two weeks of quarantine before starting their preparations for the Australian legs of the world tour in Newcastle and Narrabeen.

The WSL is turning back the clock for the northern beaches to host its first men’s world tour event since Australian Taj Burrow won the Diet Coke Surf Classic at Manly back in 1999.

The last women’s event was the Beachley Classic which ran from 2006 to 2012.

The Newcastle Pro at Merewether was on Saturday revealed as the new event filling the Easter slot traditionally filled by a world tour event at Bells Beach.

Since then the WSL said a deal had been struck to return to the famous surfing hotspot in Victoria for at least three years from 2022.

The great Kelly Slater mobbed by fans at the Coke Classic at Manly in 1998.

Western Australia will also host the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro from May 2-12

along with the Rip Curl Rottnest Search from May 16-26.

The WSL said the cancellation of the Corona Open at Snapper Rocks was based on the possibility of multiple risks attached to sudden public health measures in reaction to COVID-19 such as lockdowns, state border restrictions and event cancellations.

Without a pre-approved bubble to enter the state amid a state border closure the WSL deemed the risk as too high.

The coronavirus wiped out the entire world surf league in 2021 and has played havoc with the start of the season.

Surfers headed to Hawaii to kick off the year but instead again fell foul to the pandemic, sent home without surfing in anger.

Surfer CJ Hobson during the Diet Coke Classic at Manly Beach in 1999.

Narrabeen two-time world champion Damien Hardman said the new event was massive for the northern beaches which went into an extended lockdown following a COVID-19 outbreak over Christmas.

“We haven’t had a combined world tour event on the northern beaches for over 20 years, it is going to be great for surfers, particularly grommets, to see the best surfers in the world competing at Narrabeen, the most consistent wave in Sydney,” he said.

”After the impact of the northern beaches being forced into a COVID lockdown over the busy Christmas period, this event could not come at a better time for many businesses.”

A plane load of top surfers is due to arrive from the US in early March where competitors will undergo two weeks quarantine before heading to Newcastle for the first event scheduled between April 1-11.

The WSL said the Government is not funding the quarantine.

Laura Enever is a Narrabeen local and now one of the top big wave surfers.

Owen Wright has already booked his ticket to the Olympic Games.

Surfers will then head back down the expressway to the northern beaches to compete in the Narrabeen Classic from mid April.

“The impacts of COVID-19 hit the Northern Beaches hard, with forced lockdowns over Christmas last year, and our support for this event will stimulate the local economy and showcase Narrabeen as a world-class surfing and tourism destination,” said NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro.

Owen Wright and Narrabeen local Laura Enever, who has been awarded a wildcard for the event, were to be on hand in Sydney on Tuesday morning for the unveiling of the new event.

Wright, Newcastle’s Julian Wilson, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons are the surfers already selected to represent Australia when surfing makes it debut at the Olympic Games.

“This highly coveted Championship Tour will bring much-needed tourism dollars into the local shops, eateries, and accommodation here in Narrabeen and surrounds, helping to rebuild our economy after a very tough year for many local businesses,” said Rob Stokes, Member for Pittwater.

AUSTRALIAN LEG

Rip Curl Newcastle Cup April 1-11

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic April 16-26

Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro May 2-12

Rip Curl Rottnest Search May 16-26

WANT MORE OF YOUR LOCAL NEWS? Bookmark your community homepage and never miss out. HERE’S HOW

MORE LOCAL SPORT HERE

Originally published as Narrabeen Classic: Mick Fanning comes out of retirement to surf in Sydney