The final just started this weekend when the shark surfaced next to Fanning and knocking him off his board. Fanning escaped serious injury saying he punched the shark in the back. He was shaken after the incident saying he was screaming and kicking. “I was just sitting there and I felt something just get stuck in my leg rope, and I was kicking trying to get it away… I just saw fins. I was waiting for the teeth.”
Surfing officials appeared quickly on the scene, helping him aboard a support boat. Organisers say that two sharks have been spotted in the area and have put the final on hold with the risk being ‘too high’ to continue competition.
See this clip of what happened:
