The World Surf League in New Zealand was abruptly cancelled after a photographer covering the sporting event was taken to hospital after being bitten by an unknown sea creature.
A code red was issued and competing surfers from Brazil who were already in the water were extracted on jet skis.
Australian photographer Ed Sloane was attacked while filming the men’s semi-finals at the New Zealand Pro and suffered puncture wounds to his ankle.
The attack, which occurred just before 8.30am on Monday, caught the attention of the dozens of people who had come to watch the competition at Manu Bay as well as organisers who sounded the horn.
The photographer had a flipper ripped off in the attack.
The competition was halted 10 minutes after it started but was set to resume at noon.
“The safety of our staff and competitors are our priority,” the league said in a statement. “We will provide updates as further information becomes available.”
“It’s the first time we have activated code red,” Renato Hickel, vice president of tours and competition, said.
“This time it was our beloved water photographer Ed. Thank God he’s in good spirits. He’s well considering what happened.”
It was not yet known if it was a shark or a sea lion attack but it appeared consistent with sea lion bite.
“At this stage we are not certain if it was a shark or a sea lion. The doctor on the scene was inclined to think it was a sea lion. Nevertheless, very scary,” Mr Hickel said.
“Italo and Yoga obviously are shaken,” he added, referring to the Brazilian surfers Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira who had to be removed from the water. “They saw the splash and the incident and so another reason to put the event on hold.”
Mr Sloane said that he was “doing okay” and thanked people for well wishes. “I’ve had bites to my left foot and am getting medical attention. Massive thank you to our water patrol for the quick response, our medical team and all the support from our teams for the immediate assistance I received,” he said.
“I love this place and can’t wait to watch an epic Finals Day. Cheering for everyone for a great finish to the event.”
The incident came 11 years after Australian surf great Mick Fanning fought off a shark during J-Bay Pro in South Africa. The incident was captured on live television as the surfer was pulled under the water by a shark.
