Fanning eyes off Bells

Alex de Vos
The world’s number three ranked surfer Mick Fanning is following a conservative approach to tackling Australia’s most prestigious professional surfing competition.
“I’m just going to take it heat by heat,” Fanning said this week in the lead-up to the annual Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.
Despite his cautious game plan, the NSW surfer struggled to contain his excitement about competing in the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition.
“Yeah, it’s always great to be back at Bells – I love it here,” he said.
“There are so many different waves and it changes so much.”
This year the world’s best surfers will participate in a green-tinged Rip Curl Pro as well as a condensed competition program.
Under a new Association of Surfing Professionals guideline, the top 16 ranked surfers on the ASP World Tour go through to round two, instead of kicking off proceedings with traditional three-man heats.
Fanning praised the new format.
“I think it’s great,” he said.
“Getting rid of the first round is a great idea – you get fired up straight away and it’s game on right from the start.”
The event kicked off on Tuesday in three-to-four foot waves.
In a blow to tournament organisers, Jan Juc surfer Nic Muscroft was eliminated in the first round.
Surf Coast’s wildcard winner Adam Robertson advanced to the second round after defeating NSW surfer Chris Davidson.
In a major upset, Australian wildcard Owen Wright knocked off American favourite Dane Reynolds to take out his first tour victory.
Wright said he was “stoked” with his performance.
“Dane is an excellent surfer,” Wright said.
“I had been watching a lot of heats and I thought that those guys that get the bigger score early are the ones going through.
“I really focused on getting that first wave and ended up getting it.”
Wright will face reigning nine-time ASP World Champion and defending Rip Curl Pro Champion Kelly Slater in round two.