Source: Kelly Cestari / Getty
Three-time world champion Mick Fanning was competing in South Africa on Sunday at a world surfing competition when he was knocked off his board by an attacking shark. Fanning punched the creature before escaping unharmed during the televised surfing finals.
During the JBay Open in Jeffrey’s Bay in the Eastern Cape Province the Australian surfer was hit by the shark from behind and knocked into the water as he sat on his board waiting his turn. Fanning is next seen furiously trying to swim to safety before a rescuer pulls him out of the water.
Once he was on the rescue boat Fanning said “I felt something grab, get stuck in my leg rope and instantly jump away. And it just kept coming at my board.”
Fanning swam away at first but then decided to defend himself and turned to punch the shark in the back. Fanning said in an interview
“I’m totally fine. I’ve got nothing wrong with me. There’s a small depression in my board and my leg wrap (was) bitten. I’m just totally tripping out. To walk away from that, I’m just so stoked. Oh man.”
The remainder of the event was canceled and Fanning will split second place as well as the prize money with fellow Australian surfer Julian Wilson, who was also in the water when the attack happened. The league said in a statement:
“We are incredibly grateful that no one was seriously injured today. Mick’s composure and quick acting in the face of a terrifying situation was nothing short of heroic.”
Commentator Ross Williams said there are occasionally shark sightings in and around events but an actual attack was very unusual.
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