Surfing champion Mick Fanning has had a luck escape while competing at the J-Bay Open World Surf League event in South Africa. Spectators, commentators and Fanning’s own family watched open-mouthed as the surfer was approached in the water by a shark.
Fanning punched and kicked the shark before swimming for safety, thankfully with only a slightly damaged broken board and broken leg rope.
Speaking after the incident, the 34-year old said
“I literally just jumped away and it just kept coming at my board and I was kicking and swimming,” he said.
“I just saw fin – I didn’t see the teeth, I was waiting for some teeth to come at me as I was swimming. I punched it in the back.
“I was about to start paddling again and I had this instinct that someone was behind me.
“I saw the whole thing just thrashing around … I punched it a couple of times, but I felt like it was dragging me under water.
“Then all of a sudden my leg rope broke and I was swimming and screaming.
“I was swimming in and I had this thought what if it comes for another go at me? So I turned around, so I could at least see it, and before I knew it the boat was there, the jet skis were there. I just can’t believe it.”
Watch the amazing footage.
