Questions over future of Margaret

THE Margaret River Pro is in limbo as the world’s leading surfers were warned off the waves, a former world champion said he felt unsafe and eight separate shark sightings in five hours added to fears.

Brazilian former No.1 Gabriel Medina voiced his concerns about surfing 15km from where two shark attacks occurred at Gracetown on Monday as organisers met to discuss the fate of the world surfing tour event in Western Australia.

Earlier the World Surf League had warned its surfers to stay out of the water after a lay day was called Monday due to a forecast of poor surf conditions yesterday.

Before noon yesterday there were three more sightings of sharks from the air near Busselton, Yallingup and Wilyabrup. Multiple sightings followed in the afternoon.

“(Monday) they had two shark attacks on a beach next to which we are competing,’’ Medina posted on Instagram.

“I don’t feel safe training and competing in that kind of place, any time (thing) can happen.”