Mick Fanning faces massive challenges on and off the water as his campaign for a fourth world surfing title continues despite the death of his brother.
The iron-willed Australian and World Surf League standings leader won his third and fourth round heats at the season-ending Pipe Masters on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) to advance directly to the quarter-finals, despite learning of the death of his older brother Peter back in Australia.
"Today was one of the most challenging days of my life," Fanning said on his Facebook page.
"But I knew I could find the strength to take part in the final event of the season because that's what Pete would want.
"I also want to give special thanks to my other brothers, my friends on tour, for their support. I couldn't have got through today without them."
Fanning faces the prospect of a pressure-packed quarter-final against 11-time world surfing champion and seven-time Pipe Masters winner Kelly Slater, who he defeated in a gripping fourth-round heat.
"(Fanning) had better do his thing, because I want to win this contest," Slater said.
Brazilians Adriano de Souza and defending world champion Gabriel Medina also still have a chance of winning the world title after both advanced directly to the quarter-finals.
Two other contenders - Brazilian Filipe Toledo and Australian Julian Wilson - fell by the wayside as competition resumed at the Banzai Pipeline and the big waves returned after five successive lay days.
But fellow Australians Adam Melling and Josh Kerr remain in contention to win the Pipe Masters.
Fanning scored a 12.14 to 2.70 third round win over Hawaii's 2004 Pipe Masters Jamie O'Brien and then participated in arguably the best heat of the year.
Fanning (17.30) shaded Slater (16.47) and Hawaii's John John Florence (15.16), who in the previous round produced the highest heat score of the day, 19.93, to eliminate Australian Taj Burrow.
A focused Fanning hit the front inside the last five minutes with a 9.30 tube ride.
He then had a nervous wait, as Slater - needing a score of over nine points - produced a classy ride on his final wave in the last few seconds, but was awarded an 8.30 by the judges.
Slater offered his condolences to the Fanning family and revealed he had spoken to his Australian adversary while they were in the water.
"I was just telling him to focus, good luck and have fun and try and put everything out of your mind; all the pressure and personal things and just everything going on," Slater said.
"It's hard to compete at world level but he did today and that's why he's a multi-world champ and why he's staring down at another one right now."
Australian Bede Durbidge suffered two pelvic fractures and will require surgery after a hard landing on the reef following a wipeout.
