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Mick Fanning Wins At J-Bay In Victorious Return To Scene Of Shark Attack

Just 12 months later.

Mick Fanning has made a triumphant return to Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa, to take the 2016 J-Bay title.

Just a year after surviving a shark attack at the very same beach, Fanning scraped in beating Hawaiian John John Florence in the final 17.70 to 17.14 points.

Last year the 35-year-old fought off what was believed to be a great white shark, fleeing the water with fellow Australian surfer Julian Wilson.

Following the attack Fanning said he had planned to return to J-Bay.

"That was always the intention to come back - to right the wrongs of last year," Fanning said.

"Now we have, we can move on."

Fanning had his first surf at J-Bay before the competition in June. In a video created by Rip Curl, he said he felt nervous before paddling out.

"I went and had a look and then sort of like a little bit of anxiety sort of came up and a few different emotions but once I got the wetsuit on and got the board ready and paddled out, It was pretty much fine.

"Once you catch that first wave, you know, you realise it was a one-off incident... hopefully.

"You just get on with it and go surfing again," Fanning said.

It hasn't been an easy 12-months for the triple world champion. In the same year as the infamous shark attack in South Africa, on the day he was surfing for a potential fourth world title, Fanning found out that his older brother Peter had passed away. And in January this year, he announced his split with wife Karissa Dalton on Facebook.

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