JOHANNESBURG Surfer Mick Fanning, 34, and his mother share their reactions after Fanning walked away without injury from a shark attack during a surfing competition.
Fanning, from Tweed Head, Australia, was competing in the J-Bay Open when the attack occurred, which was being broadcast live on TV. The video showed the fins of the shark right before Fanning begins to struggle, ultimately falling off his board.
In an interview with World Surf League, Fanning, who was visibly shaken, said he was waiting for the next set when he had this instinct that something was behind me.
Fanning said he felt being pulled under the water by his leash, so he punched (the shark) a couple of times in the struggle. The leash broke, and at that point, he said he just started swimming and screaming, yelling for his fellow competitor, Julian Wilson, who was also in the water, to get out.
Fannings mother, Elizabeth Osborne, was watching the terrifying ordeal unfold live on TV.
I went over to the television almost as though I could pull him out of the television, I just wanted to save him, Osborne told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But there was nothing I could do.
Osborne praised Wilson, who began to swim toward Fanning to help during the incident, but she also has had one more thank you to offer.
I just thank the shark very much for just disappearing, she told The Telegraph.
Fanning walked away uninjured from the attack, but he said he would be happy to not even compete ever again after his lucky escape.
"I'm totally fine. I've got nothing wrong with me," Fanning says in the video. "There's a small depression in my board and my leg wrap (was) bitten. I'm just totally tripping out. To walk away from that, I'm just so stoked. Oh, man."
According to the World Surf League Wilson and Fanning both took second place rankings and split the prize purse awarded to the winner.
Fanning, from Tweed Head, Australia, was competing in the J-Bay Open when the attack occurred, which was being broadcast live on TV. The video showed the fins of the shark right before Fanning begins to struggle, ultimately falling off his board.
In an interview with World Surf League, Fanning, who was visibly shaken, said he was waiting for the next set when he had this instinct that something was behind me.
Fanning said he felt being pulled under the water by his leash, so he punched (the shark) a couple of times in the struggle. The leash broke, and at that point, he said he just started swimming and screaming, yelling for his fellow competitor, Julian Wilson, who was also in the water, to get out.
Fannings mother, Elizabeth Osborne, was watching the terrifying ordeal unfold live on TV.
I went over to the television almost as though I could pull him out of the television, I just wanted to save him, Osborne told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But there was nothing I could do.
Osborne praised Wilson, who began to swim toward Fanning to help during the incident, but she also has had one more thank you to offer.
I just thank the shark very much for just disappearing, she told The Telegraph.
Fanning walked away uninjured from the attack, but he said he would be happy to not even compete ever again after his lucky escape.
"I'm totally fine. I've got nothing wrong with me," Fanning says in the video. "There's a small depression in my board and my leg wrap (was) bitten. I'm just totally tripping out. To walk away from that, I'm just so stoked. Oh, man."
According to the World Surf League Wilson and Fanning both took second place rankings and split the prize purse awarded to the winner.
