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Mick Fanning, an exclamation mark, Tahiti

Mick Fanning won the Billabong Pro, Tahiti this morning against long-time pal, Joel Parkinson. You knew that though, right? It was Mick’s second victory this year, his first being the Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach, and placed him in first on the world title rankings (with Joel nipping at his heels). But Mick knows that, even now, it’s too early to worry about that. The Australian took the ratings lead after Fiji, at which point he told Stab: “It’s all about making up the numbers. It doesn’t matter who else is in the race, you still need those results. I look at it as a whole. Once you get down to the last two or three events, you start looking at who’s in the race, but until then everyone’s just building points. If you can get third or better in each event, you’re doing pretty well.”

And Mick did get third or better at Chopes. And maybe he’ll get third or better at Trestles and beyond. But for now, let’s just reflect on what was probs one of the more entertaining (and high-scoring!) finals you’ll likely see this year, and in particular, this flexed-out, kicker-dragging pigdog. Ain’t it something?

Photographer profile

Domenic Mosqueira

Domenic Mosqueira is 34 years old. If you ask him what the best non-surf photo he’s ever shot is, he’ll tell you it was one taken in a womens prison. If you ask him what the best surf photo he’s ever shot is, he’ll tell you it was the cover of Stab, which featured Bruce Irons storming through a Chopes cave – blindfolded. Why? It was his first surf cover. And, because Chopes is his favourite place to shoot. His favourite-ever shot is a war portrait taken by James Nachtwey. He likes James Nachtwey, Diane Arbus, Dan Eldon, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and, for water, Russo. He wishes Scott Aichner was still in the game. His speciality is water photography. But the thing that drives Mr Mosqueira more than anything, is to capture an image that makes the viewer want to keep looking. A task he succeeds at, repeatedly.

More photos from Domenic Mosqueira