Not even the hardcore are bait

Statistics show that not all shark species pose a danger to humans

PERFECT WAVE: Frenchman Jeremy Flores, from Reunion Island, won the Billabong Pro Tahiti on Wednesday. American being killed by a shark in a lifetime were one in 3.7 million, while a car accident was one in 84. But your average hillbilly has zero chance of dying from shark bite if he stays landlocked. He does, however, have a bigger chance of dying from moonshine overdose or falling off a mountain. Therein lies the rub. Scientists obviously want to raise public awareness about the low risk of a shark attack because they’re trying to conserve sharks.

But for surfers, Streicher maintains, the probabilities work in an entirely different way, since 65% of all shark incidents around the world involve surfers. The numbers are of course heavily influenced by how many hours you spend in the water, and of course, where.

For instance, your chances of a fatal encounter increase hugely if you surf every day at South Africa’s sharkiest beach, Second Beach in Port St Johns.

As Streicher noted, “while numbers are important in determining risk, other contextual factors should be considered” such as what species hang out in which areas, and their reasons for being there.

The average recreational surfer may get in the water only 22 times a year every second weekend, but a hardcore surfer could surf every day. This, according to Streicher, increases his risk 17 times.

The hardcore surfer had a one in 6 000 chance of dying from shark bite in a given year. “This is slightly lower compared to the risk of dying in a car accident, which is one in 3 500 per year.”

For the once-in-two-weeks surfer the risk is one in 100 000. Feel better now?

French Win

JEREMY FLORES scored 9.87 points on his first wave to win the Billabong Pro Tahiti against reigning WSL Champion Gabriel Medina in clean six-foot surf at Teahupo’o earlier this week.

This is the Frenchman’s second CT victory of his career, pushing him five places up the Jeep Leaderboard to seventh. Flores defeated Medina, C.J. Hobgood (USA), Kelly Slater (USA) and Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) on his way to victory.

Record Bid

HIS family thinks he’s crazy, but Port Elizabeth surfer Josh Enslin wants to smash the Guinness World Record for the longest surfing marathon, which is 29 hours 27 minutes set a year ago in the US. Enslin’s attempt is set to take place at Pollock Beach in Port Elizabeth, and the waiting period will be the month of November.

Skate Jam

PULL in to the Milpark skate park tomorrow (near Garden Centre) to see some of the best skateboarders in the world strut their stuff with some top local talent as part of the RVCA Skate Tour.

Swell Dynamics

I WILL be offering a course for all ocean users on the dynamics of swell, and how wind creates waves, at the Woodstock Exchange on Tuesday 22 September.

See www.wavescape.co.za for details.

Bodysurf

AN UNIQUE new event takes place tomorrow at Llandudno. The Bodysurf Wavejam presented by Wawa – to be held at the Llandudno Surf Lifesaving Club – is a competition for only body surfers. Using their body as your surfboard, body surfers often use a small handheld ‘handgun’ and swim fins to get on the wave and to ride further.

Entry is limited to 100 bodysurfers (all ages) and it costs R100 to enter. Email surfboards@ wawawave. com to secure your place.

Weather Tip

THE surf cranks 6’ or more along coast today in light to moderate S to SSE. Muizenberg looks 2-3’ and a bit wonky going onshore later. The surf gets even bigger tomorrow, 6-8’ but there is a very strong SSE wind blowing it to bits. Muizenberg will be a mess.

WSL/CESTARI