PHOTOS of a greedy world champ and his clown mate Bottle

it really gets down to etiquette, e.g. paddling inside someone is a no no, calling someone into a wave coz they are in a better position is a good thing. an so on...

edit: i forgot to say that I enjoyed this topic and have seen both good and greedy pro surfers.

"Now if we can just get a few pro's to read"

I was all set to write a smartarse remark about this quote but they were all pretty demeaning, it speaks for itself anyway

And simsurf going by your logic I never met Hitler, nor did I actually witness any of his actions...so I suppose we'll give him the benifit of the doubt and throw him in the good bloke basket..

By: "goofy"

I would suggest there is a difference between historical fact and a anectodal story from people with an axe to grind on a net forum;)

In fact we already have two totally different versions from the same day.I am not falling down on any particular side, but all I am saying is the net is great from slandering someone anonymously begind the protection of a computer screen. Why didnt anyone with a problem say something on the day?

Hey reality check guys! I am a 49 yo. kneeboarder so I am so far off the cool radar that even the sharks dont bite but you are all complaining about a thing that died years ago.
Truth is you got burned because there's a lot of people paying money to see those guys do spectacular shit that mere mortals only dream of, including towing into sunset boost shots for one spectacular image and the big bucks. Too many people, too much hype, too much aggression, too many surf like its a competition.You pay them to be what they are!
We need surf traffic cops nowadays to keep the peace and so everyone gets a fair go.
Pros should give notice if they are going to hog a wave. compensate the locals via sponsor. Everyone take a chill pill.

What flavour the "chill pill" mr. kneeboarder? I know what you blokes are like ... goddamn weirdos.

I'm selling Mick's a prick tee shirts if anyone's interested

Would not have it any other way! happy to be unique and uncommon clif....

Well Simsurf I don't know what other version you were reading, from both peoples descriptions of what was happened, they sounded pretty greedy. Just that one was pissed off and one condoned it. On that t-shirt I suggest putting a cartoon image of Mick surfing with a bottle up his arse.

The rules should apply to all surfers. Yes, Mick may have a world title but locals have the title of living and surfing their area for years. They should be treated like any tourist....told to piss off if they get too cocky.

This weekend ill be doing a one day south coast trip and I wouldnt dream of getting cocky at another spot I dont surf. If I did, id expect a mouth full.

Will add another one to the mix - was surfing D'bah last year and Dean Morrison was out there too. There's no doubting the guys talent but when I took off on a wave and looked down the line there he was paddling for it, I put my foot down a bit and got past him only to have him drop-in behind me and then try and call me off it before being a total wan*er and speeding up behind him me and shoving me off my board. Gave him a mouthful when he paddled back past me but he just paddled past with the arrogant air of someone who thinks he's gods gift to the surfing world - don't these guys get it? They're supposed to be the ambassadors of the sport that puts the clothes on their backs and the money in their bank accounts... keep acting like as*holes and one day they're gonna drop in on someone who ain't gonna take it.

And, in stark contrast, have surfed Snapper numerous times when Luke Egan is out there and, the times I've been there, I've seen what a true pro should be - not hogging waves, calling others in to waves etc. Maybe it's just a case of more maturity?

micks a normal upfront guy ,he may have pissed a few of you off, but who hasnt , for all of you people who are saying he should cop a bashing or whatever, you are the real a holes of this earth, and to the other guys who dont want their local breaks shown, what gives you the right to think you and only you deserve it. you have the same mentality as terrorists ,but your to dumb to know it.

Ben, can we have a spell check installed please? (or a babblefish that allows me to understand the language/grammar/spelling of some of these posts). :-P

Bashing ?, why not it certianly proved instramental in Rabbits case although it didn,t entirely cure him.Lets face it, indirectly we all sponsor these wankers(not all) by purchasing overpriced surf gear.It,s time the idolators of the world woke up and boycotted the the megacorps that give us these people and their well chronicled activities.If you want an example of what you,ve paid for ,check out Gorden Merchants house at the back of Tugan , it,s hard to miss.Next on the agenda is a rash of contests coming to take over our
best breaks, Try getting a wave then! and see what happens.The real hurt will be knowing that it was all made possible by your money.
Ps I think bashing assisted Nat Young on his road to discovery as well.

Ever think you are being fed the spin..... "what a top bloke" etc etc etc

About two weeks ago ago went for the late arvo surf at one of the locals. Paddle out into the line up and who should be gracing us with their presence but Mick Fanning and Jay Bottle Thonpson.

Now the surf was fair to good and would have been great, it was just quite inconsistent and most sets had only on wave. Offshore shoulder high and barreling.

Probably ten guys out sitting waiting for the sets. The in between waves just did not break.

Now our two legends decide they are a bit more important than anyone else and start towing in. Yes shoulder high with a crew out and they start towing through the pack. And they took every wave that came through.

As soon as they flicked off, immediate pick up and straight out the back sitting 30 mtrs out and slightly inside. Sure enough next set and they take that one too. I was out there for an hour and and the only waves that anyone else rode were on the rare occasions that a two wave set came through.

From what I believe "towing" when there are surfers in the water is illegal. But regardless that is just plain greed and contemp for every other surfer in the water.

We get fed a lot of b.s. in the media. "Top bloke" Mick, nice aussie bloke "bottle". I've always been sceptical of these claims and seeing these two in action was just reduced their credibility to zero.

I saw on Mick Fanning's twitter page later that he talks about surfing one spot in the morning and whip in's at this spot in the afternoon right next to the photo of his dopey smiling face. It could have spewed. He forgets to mention that he burnt every other surfer in the water that day.

If you know these two clowns please let them know that they are no better or more important than anyone else. They are not better humans, they have no additional rights and could they please deflate their egos and bring their over inflated self importance in check.

By: "w-bat"

I've heard alot of stories like these, I guess you can only tell if they are clowns from your own experience, but I like you have run into a few "top" 10 blokes, majority of them are down to earth and then some of them are big-headed and live on an ego trip.

Well Simsurf I don't know what other version you were reading, from both peoples descriptions of what was happened, they sounded pretty greedy. Just that one was pissed off and one condoned it. On that t-shirt I suggest putting a cartoon image of Mick surfing with a bottle up his arse.

By: "shaun"

the way i read it was one guy was saying they were taking all the waves and the other guy said everyone was getting a wave?

you want us the start bashing people more often pablo?

well, why not! things are getting awfully timid in the water

grommet pole anybody?

micks a normal upfront guy ,he may have pissed a few of you off, but who hasnt , for all of you people who are saying he should cop a bashing or whatever, you are the real a holes of this earth, and to the other guys who dont want their local breaks shown, what gives you the right to think you and only you deserve it. you have the same mentality as terrorists ,but your to dumb to know it.

By: "amos"

AMOS honestly mate nobody mentioned bashing him, bashing his credibility was mentioned. Of course Micks an upfront guy, he's got more front than Myer when it comes too how many waves he wants. Most of the guys who don't want there local break shown in the media, usually live rural isolated parts of the coast and are happy to share waves with other surfers, sometimes real happy cause there surfing alone. But they made a sacrifice to live there, They dont earn as much money, theirs no facilities and the surf is usually fical at best. So when that magic day comes along and you turn up with 2 or more mates in tow, understand that the locals sat through a crappy month of onshores or no banks. If it pumped all the time you would have probably moved there too.I dont know how many time Ive been surfing in my local area by myself and 3 or 4 guys have paddled out together and Ive been chatting to them taking turns and then they'll start snakin, cause thats what they do at home.That's why locals come across as they do, cause you give em an inch and they take a mile. Whoo that was a rant.And Amos the terrorist bit that was just plain dumb, but I understand cause your ignorant.

Ps I think bashing assisted Nat Young on his road to discovery as well.

Oh yeah who else but Nat could get a bashing for being an arrogant asshole and turn it into a lucrative book deal.

If pros are going to blow in for a photo session, and take all the waves, the least they could do is compensate the local crew. Who is Fanning's main sponsor? If everyone got a free t-shirt out of it, nobody would be bitching.

If pros are going to blow in for a photo session, and take all the waves, the least they could do is compensate the local crew. Who is Fanning's main sponsor? If everyone got a free t-shirt out of it, nobody would be bitching.

By: "blak"

WOW your a push over aren't you

I'm sure that you're correct and Mick and Bottle were being out of order, but I would like to speak in both their defenses, and tell you about positive experiences I'd had with both gents.

Firstly Bottle. This was at North Point in WA two years ago. The swell had jumped in the afternoon at Margs to 10-12, and I went on a hunt with my son and another QS mate of his for a wave somewhere.

North Point is a wave that had stayed in my dreams/nightmares for a few years. The first time I saw it, I was there for a pro-junior that they had relocated from Gas to South Point. I watched across the bay at these gaping North Point pits. 80+ guys on it at max size, with more than few clean ups. Mesmerising. Taj got bounced off the bottom and ended up in hospital. I wanted to surf it so bad, and at the same time wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. The crowd provided me with the excuse I needed.

This time the size and quality were similar but the crowd was non-existent. Three guys. We suited up, and at the same time Bottle and a mate were getting ready. Major butterflies for me, that old sense of the deep dread and irresistible draw, mixed together.

Lots of water moving around out there, and combined with fear it's not a good mix. For the 50+ brigade, taking off on a wave this consequential is no small thing. After maybe 20 minutes of pfaffing about, a set stands in front of me that is seriously thick and high. I'm in exactly the right spot. As I'm paddling for it, it's steepening and developing an outrageous curve to it, but I'm so in the right place it just doesn't give me an excuse to pull back. And then I'm on my feet, and dropping straight down, and it's so round and so thick and so intensely perfect, and my son's on the shoulder yelling something at me, and I'm feeling so so goood as I come off the bottom and line up that barrel, with that weird slabby section, and then that view ... and I'm spat out the end like a used prune pip. Definitely one of the top 3 0r 4 waves of a 35 year surfing obsession.

My son, it turns out, was yelling not hoots of encouragement for his old man, but screaming at me not to burn Bottle, whose presence on the wave a good 30m inside was a complete revelation to me. Elation has shifted to deep shame.

Several minutes later Bottle has recovered from the serious beating I forced him into and is paddling back into the line up. I apologise abjectly, but he's having none of it. No problem, he says. There's plenty of waves, he says. Looked like it was a good one, hope you enjoyed it, he says. A generous act from a generous nature, in my book.

And Mick? Well it goes back a way further. My son is competing in the Boys division of what was IMHO the best comp on the planet, the Hot Buttered O & E Pro Junior. He's 12, and he's stoked out his mind when someone introduces him to Mick. Mick shakes his hand firmly, and he's starstruck.

Two years later, he's 14 now and we're getting ready for a surf at Dbah, when Mick comes up, says "Hi Sam" and pats him on the back as he walks down the shorey. Made Sam's day and impressed me mightily that a) he was able to remember some random kid's name from a meeting nearly two years earlier and b) he bothered to say something. Again, a generous act from a generous nature.

So whatever their sins, and I'm sure that they are many, both will be hard to remove from my good books.

Stop bitching guys and do something about the tow-turds if you have nearly been run over and killed or you just don't like it. If the Maritime Safety Queensland Code of Conduct is established in its current form you will only see tow-surfing on the Gold Coast when there are NO other regular surfers in the water which is the way it is in the rest of the civilized world.

You can help to make it happen. Go to the MSQ website at:

http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/About-us/Msq-headlines/Headlines-tow-in-surfin...

and make your comment. They want to hear from you. Once it is place MSQ are going to have to enforce it as the towboys will no longer be able to get away with coming in close proximity to regular surfers. The new separation distance is 200m and tow-ins, jump-offs and even jetski pickups will all be banned in the bathing reserves (400m from the beach) and also at Currumbin Creek mouth and Tallebudgera Creek mouth if there are even just a few regular surfers in the water. It may not happen if surfers show their usual apathy and don't comment favourably on the new Code.

Bring it on!

Patty,Personally i don,t condone violence in anything other than self defence, but i do love a good shit stir.For the record last time i encountered violence was when large and ugly club surf competitor wanted to punch my head in for being upset at him for dopping in on me three times in quick succession.As a relative blowin What he did,nt know was that as a local of 30+ yrs i happened to know most of the club.

That Dean Morrison Story is outrageous.

By: "w-bat"

Sure is - was totally gobsmacked by it! Used to look at him as a bit of an under-dog, in the shadow of MF and JP etc but since that incident he's now (in my eyes) just another "up-himself wan*er".

Bruce I'm not sure how much relevance these anecdotes have to the gripe at hand. Firstly the only reason Bottle probably didn't have a go at you was your obviously over 15 and in my experience in surf rage that goes a long way as most of these idiots pick their targets carefully. Secondly he may have snaked you to begin with..being way deeper as you said and not knowing your local/nonlocal status he might of just erred on the safe side. And third, as you said it was an empty line up..peoples problem on this thread is the greed they showed in a busier line up with less waves...even I'm generous when it's pumping..(sort of)

And as for Mick, hey that's his "job". He is a professional sportsman representing a company. This action is P.R, organizations have whole units set up to develop it and rightly for as you can see it works a treat (don't tell me you don't own any rip curl gear?).
Eveyones got a million story's...the saddest one is that human nature is a bitch.

Sorry that was meant to go to Grazza not bruce..

well nothing changed, at dbah off wall who was out there, SAME SHIT DIFFERENT DAY DIFFERENT WAVE, was cock face FANNING and his COOLY KID mate dingo. COOLY KIDS people forget FANNING comes from PENRITH in syd. TO LABEL YOURSELF AS A COOLY LOCAL, YOU HAVE to be joking, (this goes for you 2 parko SUNNY COAST). well as for dingo i remember you running round streets as a grommy eith your old NEV when you were like 7 you are a cooly kid. stop claiming your lOcals and MICK piss off back to PENRITH. YOU HAVE GOTTEN SO MUCH COCKIER NOW YOU HAVE 2, to my delight he got dropped in on 3 times and yelled and carried on like a sheiler. KARMA MICK, DROP IN ON ME AGAIN AND TOU WILL HAVE a MT WOODGEE SURFBOARD IMPLANTED IN YOUR ASS.

WELL DONE GOOFY AND BRUCECAM50 AND ALL WHO BROUGHT THIS IN THE OPEN. LETS START FLICKING BOARDS AT THESE $300000 A YEAR WANKERS. ID BE BETTER THAN YOU IF I COULD SURF ALL DAY EVERYDAY AND GET $50000 A YEAR. TAKE A LEAF OUT OF BEDE DURBIDGES ATTITUDE. YOU WOULD BE MUCH BETTER PEOPLE. SMOKE EM THIS YEAR BEDE

Didn't read every post, towing in through or near paddle surfers is dangerous in the extreme. Won't be long before we'll be hearing about a tow in fatality. Either a kook crew that gets worked or someone gets hit by a ski.

In looking at all the posts, I don't doubt that, like most people, Bottle and Mick are good blokes, who were not being deliberately malicious and greedy, and that, in their eyes, they were avoiding being excessively selfish by only taking one wave per set - something that they are probably used to doing at their home break. I guess an interesting question is, if a couple of crew from the other side of the country rocked up at Snapper on a 3-4 foot day, and used a ski to tow into a wave from behind the rocks on every set, how that would go over with the crew in the lineup? Not hard to guess it woulds not be well received. Ultimately, its about treating others as we would like, and it seems that perhaps the need to get the shots meant that perhaps the impact on the guys surfing it was not taken into account to the extent it could have been. And Cracka, isn't Bede from somewhere other than the Goldy originally as well?

hey millny, bede dont run around calling himself a cooly kid, nor did i label him a cooly kid. we all know bede is from north straddie and he is proud of it.

Well W-bat looks like you have haul up a lightening rod for serious protest here. There is obviously a lot of disenchantment with what elite surfing and the corporate suits are doing to the culture, and from the comments here there is quite a backlash. Definitely the the beginings of a grass roots movement I think. So how does all this unhappiness translate itself into a serious protest that might mangle up the gearbox of the Corporate Machine? Perhaps a mass paddle out protest at the pending Quicksilver Pro at Cooly? It might just be the spark that burns down the Reichstag!!!!

^^^First entry...

http://www.swellnet.com.au/galleries/327-welcome-to-the-gold-coast/images

No respect, who cares if there pro's. They sould know better, no wonder tow surfing has a bad rep.

Mass paddle out at Quicksilver pro ,brilliant idea! When?

i read somewhere the other day 'Burleigh Heads off limits from 8am till 5pm' for the breakya head pro or something.

WHO GIVES A *^#*!

pro surfing is boring to watch.

Mass paddle out at Quicky pro, bring that on.

What day, what time?

Well Pablo like all good organic protests all you need is a date, an assembly time and a rally point. You could say for the best impact make the date the first morning of the finals at Snapper. Anyone who's interested could tie a red ribbon on their arm and assemble on Rainbow Beach under Greenmount an half hour before the finals are due to start. Then if there's more than 10 people, hit the water and paddle over to the point and commence doing what you do best, catching a few uncrowded waves.

If anyone attempts to stop you, tell them they are interfering with a law abiding citizen's quite enjoyment of a public water space and that you going about lawful business. Tell them if they interfere further they'll breaching your legal right to legitimately use a public space and that there are laws to prevent that, then keep paddling and dodging their PWC. So there is the recipe for potential anarchy. I'd love to be there, but I'll elsewhere chairing a meeting of the Marinus van der Lubbe Fire Bombing Society.

Hey I would love to see an anti-corporate paddle out scandal on the media by surfers, that would really rock. Egg chucking at the Surfer Poll would be just as funny surfers are not supposed to be movie stars. Reading the posts in this thread. It all boils down to the use of a jet-ski to cheat the other surfers. Its like someone going in a pushbike competition with a motorbike. MF and his mate should have apologized for inconveniencing the other surfers in the water for a photo shoot. Mind you really good surfers always think they own every wave but as true champions they should know better.

No doubt,the corparate men have bought off our local council,who without proper public consultation have sold them the exclusive rights to anywhere they want to hold the comp.
Any protesters will probaly be arrested and charged under some local govt legislation,by the water police.In the past you were lucky if some heavy didn,t punch your head in ,so be warned.A better idea maybe an internett petition that can also be printed out and passed around and then presented to the Coumcil.Then if all else fails,organise a mass paddle out.
Maybe Furgus could bring his freinds and fire bomb the judges stand and corporate merchandising outlets.

What you have described Pablo is pretty much what has happened I reckon. The Council have most likely sold off Average Joe's rights to the quite enjoyment of a public place. They will of course justify their unilateral actions by saying that these comps are world class events that bring tourist dollars, jobs and prestige to the Gold Coast. The sad truth is the the products of the companies that are promoting these fun fests are mainly manufactured in places like Mexico and Thailand under working conditions that are anyones guess.

I think your right about a petition and a paddle out being the last resort. But what a paddle out would do is immediately highlight the issue. But in confrontation situations the thing to remember is if some one gives you a direction to leave the area, you ask them to show you their appropriate authorisation. If they fail to show you either a Police warrant or ID, a Marine Officer warrant or a Council Officers ID, they can't give you a legal direction and cannot take any legal action themselves.

However once a properly authorised officer from either the Council, Marine or the Police give you a direction, you just obey the direction and avoid any problems. But of course they are very unlikely to be in the immediate vacinity anyway as they have better things to do. By the time they turn up on the scene you have already made your point and got a few waves in the middle of the circus as planned.

Any static you get will be from security pickets on PWC who have no legal authority and have just been hired to warn people off. So you basically ignore them, but if some thug tries to smack you, make sure you have a witness nearby then you can go him for assault. A nice touch is to also alert the mainstream media before hand if there's gonna be trouble at pit!!.

Local Councils in NSW or QLD have no legal power below the low tide mark i.e. in the water, these powers rest with Fisheries, Waterways and/or Environment.

In NSW there is no legal right to ask a surfer or swimmer to leave the water (except in a Marine Park!). As Dave, the guy hit with the JetSki is finding out, those surfing contests at D'Bah (which is in NSW) have no legal rights in the water. Surfing reserves in NSW only apply to Crown Land NOT water below the low tide mark but the other Departments can make new rules i.e. in Victoria the Fisheries Minister banned the use of cray pots in surfing reserves.

However I read somewhere that this may be different in QLD which passed special laws (not sure if they are just for Snapper or cover all "approved" surfing contests) after a run-in with a barrister at Snapper a few years ago. In QLD they appear to have legislative backing and therefore the ability to arrest and fine etc. As to the "police" on PWCs provided they are on duty (which they weren't during the run-in above) they have the ability to enforce ALL laws on public property but security guards and/or lifeguards DO NOT!

Anyway enough of the BS: I hate the way pro surfing supports the "f@#$ you" attitude in young surfers with no respect for anyone. I also hate the way they can just close Burleigh and Snapper for weeks at a time during our peak wave season just so some Billabong/Ripcurl suit can jet around First Class and buy the latest Beamer, I protest personally by not buying any of the major sponsors stuff. However if someone organises a paddle powered one finger protest I'm there!

Update: I have done a quick search and can find no legislation in QLD which allows them to close water to surfers, if someone knows please point to it

So what about the guy who got hit by a jetski, sorry I live under a rock I have never heard of a surfer being hit(to my amazment)

W-bat this is a common occurance among the top surfers, Nathan Hedge is also described as a top genuine aussy bloke but is a complete asshole in the water, Dean Morrsion is the worst ive seen just drops in or snakes anyone and everyone, Occy is also a complete asshole, the only guy who ive seen show respect and not hassle is Bede. AS you said these guys surf all day everyday in the best waves so why do this? They all need a reality check they dont seem to realise that they wouldnt be getting paid to surf if it wasnt for us buying their sponsors products.

In a perfect world ,the champ would be judged by the public on the quality of his surfing and and the quality of his charactor.Spose that makes Bede the only real champ out there.
Ever noticed in female surfing that if you,ve had an unfortunate encounter with the ugly stick and are a lesbian you,ll never be world champ?
As for the paddleout there must be numbers otherwise you will just be seen as dickheads by the mainstream idol worshipers.Anybody with organisational skills out there?

Dont believe the hype!! Flava Flav has been yelling this for years... Fore sure they are wankers. Most surfers are. Go ride a closeout on your own and feel the smile on your dial as you score one that holds up for two turns...also laugh as sheep follow and paddle out to rip it up in front of you haha wow i feel really tough using this keyboard