Aussie surfing event called off after shark attacks

SYDNEY: An elite global surfing championship in west Australia was cancelled following two shark attacks near the event.

The world’s top male and female surfers had been taking part in the 12-day Margaret River Pro, which is part of the World Surf League Championship Tour, off Australia’s southwest coast since April 11.

The contest was briefly suspended on Monday morning after a local surfer suffered leg injuries in a shark attack off nearby Gracetown, some 260km south of the Western Australia state capital Perth.

A second surfer, reportedly from Denmark, suffered a gash to his leg in a second shark encounter, also near Gracetown.

“Today, the WSL has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the Margaret River Pro, as a result of exceptional circumstances surrounding this season’s event regarding sharks and the safety of our surfers,” WSL chief Sophie Goldschmidt said in a statement yesterday.

“The WSL puts the highest premium on safety. This cannot be just talk and it cannot be compromised.”

The WSL said while sharks were an “occasional reality” of its competitions, the current circumstances were “very unusual and troubling”.

Experts say shark attacks are increasing as water sports become more popular and bait fish move closer to shore.