Three-time world surf champ Mick Fanning, who famously punched a shark during competition, announces retirement

When pro surfer Mick Fanning set his hands and feet in cement six months ago in Huntington Beach during the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, his prints were accompanied with one word: “Enjoy.”

Fanning announced Wednesday via social media his plans to enjoy retirement, after a long career that included winning three world championship titles and punching a shark during a live broadcast of a surf contest in South Africa.

“It’s time.” he wrote on Instagram.

His last event will be the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach as a full-time competitor, he wrote.

“The tour has given me so much but I need a fresh challenge. I still love the game but can’t find the motivation and dedication required to compete for World Titles anymore.”

He went on to say his time on tour has been “incredibly rewarding” and thanked his family, his board shaper, fellow competitors, his support crew and fans.

Fanning’s life has been much publicized.  A talented Australian surfer, he  won his first World Tour event at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in 2002, then a contest at J-Bay during his first year on tour in 2003.  He suffered a devastating leg injury in 2004 that nearly ended his career, but after surgery and rehab, he came back to competition six months later to win the Gold Coast Pro.

It was at J-Bay in 2015 that Fanning faced down a shark.

Viewers from around the world watched via live broadcast as the shark knocked Fanning off his board.  Fanning landed a blow before frantically swimming towards shore, where jet skis and boat swooped in to get him out of the water.

“I felt it and I lifted my leg and it came up, I think it bit through my leg rope. I saw it taking my board away and I started cracking at it,” he told the World Surf League.

It was the first known shark attack in the history of competitive surfing.

Fanning surfed in and around Orange County, occasionally showing up for the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.  He always competed at the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles, a contest that was canceled this year.

In 2017, he was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in Huntington Beach. The year before, Fanning was honored in Laguna Beach as “Waterman of the Year.”

“It’s just special for me to be recognized for doing the things that I love doing,” Fanning said before receiving his award at a gala on the grass at the Ranch in Laguna, surrounded by canyons.

In recent years, he came painfully close to winning world championships, only to fall short.

He hung up his jersey for a break the following year after the shark attack, but in 2017 continued to compete. During his 16 years on tour, he was always a crowd favorite, drawing fans to watch his power surfing that earned him the nickname “White Lightning.”

“I’m looking forward to life away from the tour while keeping a close eye on things. I’m so proud of our sport and the way it continues to evolve. The performance level on the Championship Tour and the Big Wave Tour is remarkable,” he wrote. “I can’t wait to watch it all go down as one of the sport’s biggest fans. I’m also looking forward to evolving my own surfing in new ways, visiting unfamiliar places and taking on different experiences.”

Fanning ended his post: “Cheers and thanks for the memories.”