Maybe it’s just the Jaws anniversary, but 2015 is shaping up to be the summer of the shark attack. The latest incident involves three-time world champion pro surfer Mick Fanning, who was waiting in the lineup at the J Bay Open earlier today, when a fin suddenly appeared behind him.
Luckily, Fanning managed to see the toothy beast coming and did his best to get away.
“I was just sitting there, I was just about to start moving and then I felt something grab ... get stuck in my leg rope,” Fanning said while sitting in a boat not far from where the near-miss had just happened.
“I instantly just jumped and he kept coming at my board. I was just kicking and screaming,” the lucky Aussie told an Australian affiliate of Fox Sports after making it aboard a boat. “I saw fins. I was waiting for the teeth!”
Of course, being an Australian, and a professional athlete, the scrappy Fanning wasn’t about to go down without a fight.
“I punched him in the back,” he exclaimed.
Fanning managed to escape without injury, and with a hell of a fish story.
As of this writing, the J Bay Open surf competition has been called off for the day.
