Mick Fanning is no stranger to feeling pressure at Pipeline. He has both won and lost a World Title during the last event of the year, so he knows how Title contenders feel leading up to the finale. We rang the three-time World Champion to get his take on how it feels to have an entire season come down to Pipe.
Mick Fanning displaying a backside barrel ride at the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters. He would come in 3rd at this event and clinch his 3rd World Championship title. - WSL / Kirstin Scholtz
There was that three year span from 2013 to 2015 where the World Title came down to Pipe. You won it on the final day once over Kelly Slater and lost it twice to Gabriel Medina and Adriano De Souza. Can you describe the way you felt heading into Hawaii those years?
In 2013 I was in the lead, but I still needed a big result to clinch. It was one of those hard years where it was just a grind really. But I went over to do Sunset first during each of those years, just to get a little time in the Hawaiian waters and to get into that head frame.
I tried to take a similar approach each time. I knew I needed big results and I knew I needed to focus on myself. And that is all you can do, really. Just focus on what you need to do and block out all the noise.
Which is harder, protecting a lead or chasing it at Pipe?
Man, they are totally different. When you are leading you have a glimmer of hope, but you also have this extra pressure because it's yours to lose.
Whereas when you are chasing, it's more just like, "Alright, I'm going to throw everything I have at it and if it happens, awesome. But if it doesn't then it was not mine to win." It's definitely two totally different pressures.
You probably feel it a bit more when you are the one in the lead.
Definitely. Especially since, when you are in the lead, everyone hopes you lose [laughs].
Gabriel Medina with a perfect 10 point wave at the 2014 Billabong Pipe Masters. Arguably the inception moment of Brazilian domination.
In 2014 you and Gabe came into Pipe neck and neck, having both won three events. What was it like staying in a house together for a few weeks before the event?
It was actually pretty mellow. We are on totally different schedules. I like to get up early and get surfing and Gabe would typically go surfing as I was coming in.
We would hang out a little, but he did his own dinners, where I was kind of hanging with the rest of the crew. But it wasn't too bad. I think we respected each other and gave each other space leading up to the event.
How do you block out the noise going into Pipe?
Just don't get ahead of yourself. Sure, the end result is to win the contest to win the World Title. But as bad and stupid and cliche as it sounds, it truly is heat by heat.
Concentrate on one heat, fight through it and never being satisfied. You can have an 18 point heat, but you can't rest on that.
Kelly Slater wins the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters over Vans Triple Crown winner John John Florence.
Your wave against Yadin Nicol in 2013 clinched your third World Title. But did you feel like a certain moment went against you in the other two years?
Definitely. But I was fine with that. I walked away both of those years knowing I could not have been any more prepared. At Pipeline, sometimes the waves just don't go your way and during those years they went to someone else.
That's the thing, at a lot of waves on tour you can find a way to sort of manufacture a win no matter what. But at Pipeline, you can't. Pipeline picks the winner.
Fanning on Pipeline Strategy
Zander Morton
Mick Fanning is no stranger to feeling pressure at Pipeline. He has both won and lost a World Title during the last event of the year, so he knows how Title contenders feel leading up to the finale. We rang the three-time World Champion to get his take on how it feels to have an entire season come down to Pipe.
There was that three year span from 2013 to 2015 where the World Title came down to Pipe. You won it on the final day once over Kelly Slater and lost it twice to Gabriel Medina and Adriano De Souza. Can you describe the way you felt heading into Hawaii those years?
In 2013 I was in the lead, but I still needed a big result to clinch. It was one of those hard years where it was just a grind really. But I went over to do Sunset first during each of those years, just to get a little time in the Hawaiian waters and to get into that head frame.
I tried to take a similar approach each time. I knew I needed big results and I knew I needed to focus on myself. And that is all you can do, really. Just focus on what you need to do and block out all the noise.
Which is harder, protecting a lead or chasing it at Pipe?
Man, they are totally different. When you are leading you have a glimmer of hope, but you also have this extra pressure because it's yours to lose.
Whereas when you are chasing, it's more just like, "Alright, I'm going to throw everything I have at it and if it happens, awesome. But if it doesn't then it was not mine to win." It's definitely two totally different pressures.
You probably feel it a bit more when you are the one in the lead.
Definitely. Especially since, when you are in the lead, everyone hopes you lose [laughs].
In 2014 you and Gabe came into Pipe neck and neck, having both won three events. What was it like staying in a house together for a few weeks before the event?
It was actually pretty mellow. We are on totally different schedules. I like to get up early and get surfing and Gabe would typically go surfing as I was coming in.
We would hang out a little, but he did his own dinners, where I was kind of hanging with the rest of the crew. But it wasn't too bad. I think we respected each other and gave each other space leading up to the event.
How do you block out the noise going into Pipe?
Just don't get ahead of yourself. Sure, the end result is to win the contest to win the World Title. But as bad and stupid and cliche as it sounds, it truly is heat by heat.
Concentrate on one heat, fight through it and never being satisfied. You can have an 18 point heat, but you can't rest on that.
Your wave against Yadin Nicol in 2013 clinched your third World Title. But did you feel like a certain moment went against you in the other two years?
Definitely. But I was fine with that. I walked away both of those years knowing I could not have been any more prepared. At Pipeline, sometimes the waves just don't go your way and during those years they went to someone else.
That's the thing, at a lot of waves on tour you can find a way to sort of manufacture a win no matter what. But at Pipeline, you can't. Pipeline picks the winner.
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