Mick Fanning, the Australian surfing champion, has detailed the moment he was attacked by a great white shark during the final of the 2015 world tour event at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa. The incident, which was broadcast live on television, is recounted in his new memoir, All Heart.
The Attack Unfolds
Fanning describes being locked in on his take-off spot in the J-Bay lineup, scanning the horizon, when he noticed a big splash behind him. Glancing over his left shoulder, he caught a glimpse of a huge dark shape in the water. Instinct kicked in, and he hauled himself onto his board to shield his body. A violent lurch directly beneath him yanked him off by a wild tug on his leg rope, and as he scrambled to get back on his board, he saw the unmistakable fin of a shark.
There was a split second of full-body panic before the shark's tail whipped out and walloped his left cheek. His head jerked back as a white flash of pain exploded in his skull. Dragged down into the churning water, the force almost tore his leg from its socket. Consumed with terror, he was suddenly released and broke through to the surface, gasping for breath. He wondered if the shark had got tangled in his leg rope and bitten through it.
Fighting for Survival
The shark then jackknifed around, hurtling straight towards him like a torpedo. That is when he began to scream. The shark crashed into him from the side, and he blindly lashed out with his fists, yelling, punching, kicking. The shark shrugged him off like a leaf, and he fell backwards into the waves. As his head surfaced, he saw it swimming away towards the horizon.
Flailing in the water, head on a swivel, Fanning swam away hard and saw his fellow Australian competitor Julian Wilson about 25 metres away. He yelled a warning: “Shark! Shark! Go in! Go! GO!” Jules kept paddling towards him, despite Fanning's repeated calls to go in. Imagining the shark circling back, Fanning stopped swimming and forced himself to turn, fists clenched, treading water and scouring the water for the shark's return. He did not notice the jetski until it was right by his side.
Aftermath and Reactions
Fanning scrambled onto the sled it was towing and asked about Jules, who was on the other jetski and fine. Scanning his limbs, he found he seemed to be alright. On the bigger boat, Jules's eyes were wild, and they embraced, laughing manically, shit-faced on adrenaline and pure relief. Field commentator Peter Mel told them they would be escorted in, saying, “No, Mick, that was a big shark. We're going to escort you in.”
On the shore, they were bustled into a white Volkswagen van. When Jules heard that Fanning had punched the shark, he convulsed in giggles. Outside the van, Fanning's mates—including Ace (Adrian Buchan), Fletch (Ryan Fletcher), and Jarrad—were deathly quiet, most of them in tears. Fanning was engulfed in a tearful hug from Ace, and he started explaining what happened. “Someone was looking after us,” he said.
In the commissioner's office, Fanning agreed to an interview with Ronnie, an event commentator for the WSL broadcast, as it was the easiest way to let everyone back home know he was OK. Before the interview, tour commissioner Kieren Perrow asked if he'd like to see the footage. Watching the replay, Fanning was struck by the size of the shark—at least three-and-a-half metres long, with the girth of a submarine. He realized his mother was watching the final live back home and asked someone to call her, then did the interview with Ronnie to let her know he was OK.
After the interview, Kelly Slater, his arch rival, embraced him in a giant hug. Walking downstairs surrounded by security, Fanning was hugged by Ace and Bec, his wife, and his legs buckled as reality hit. He burst into tears, and Ronnie noticed him crumble, saying, “Righto mate, we better get you out of here now.”
