After the Margaret River Pro was put on hold due to a shark, someone’s got to be asking if the juice is worth the squeeze.
You remember that time Mick Fanning got in a fist-fight with a shark at J-Bay, right? I don’t know for sure and I’m not interested enough to do any real research beyond a cursory Google search, but I assume that was one of the first times a shark attack happened in a professional contest was broadcast live. Since then, the World Surf League is taking zero chances—which makes sense, since Mick Fanning’s experience could have been much, much worse. Yesterday, the Margaret River Pro was suspended for a quick shark-related break. Now, I know the Margaret River event can be one of the best contests to watch (see The Box, see party waves with dolphins, see John John’s performance there in 2017), but yet another hold on the contest has to have at least a few people asking whether the event should still be held at Margs.
“A freesurfer and the WSL drone spotted a shark by Southside swimming out behind Main Break, so the heat will be put on hold,” the WSL announced. “The surfers at Southside and Main Break were picked up by Jet Skis immediately and the safety teams are monitoring the shark’s movements now. Safety (both for athletes and staff) is a priority for the WSL and the organization is in constant communication with its athletes and event organizers regarding venues, safety protocols, and response abilities. We will continue to monitor until the competition zone is clear. The event is on hold next call for a possible re-start at 4 p.m.”
The event did indeed restart at 4 p.m. and things went on as usual. Sharks, of course, are in the ocean, and the likelihood that an unseen shark was in the vicinity at some point is relatively high. If this sounds like a familiar story, that’s because you’ve heard a few versions of it very recently. Back in April, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach was called off temporarily because of a shark scare that turned out to be a floating chunk of kelp. Prior to that, the Margaret River Pro 2018 was canceled after a pair of shark attacks occurred just around the bend from the contest site. There were a few competitors who, at the time, voiced their concerns about putting people in the water during a salmon run on a sharky stretch of coastline. “Today they had two shark attacks on a beach close to where we’re competing,” wrote Medina on Instagram. “I do not feel safe training and competing in this kind of place. Any time anything can happen to one of us. Hope not. Leaving my opinion before it’s too late!”
Italo Ferreira chimed in, too. “Two shark attacks in less than 24 hours here in Australia, just a few miles from where the event is being held. Very dangerous, do not you think? Even so, they keep insisting on doing steps where the risk of having this type of accident is 90%, so I ask: is not the safety of athletes a priority? We already had several alerts. Life is worth more! I hope it does not happen to any of us. I do not feel comfortable training and competing in places like this!”
After the 2018 event was kiboshed, the decision was made to finish up in Bali—a good decision, all things considered. The World Surf League came into the 2019 event with the safety protocols firing on all cylinders.
“When the event finally kicked off this week the water was noticeably more packed than usual,” wrote Juan Hernandez. “Jet Skis and a fisheries department boat can be seen patrolling the lineup, keeping an eye out for nearby wildlife. But some of the more creative efforts probably haven’t been so visible. There’s a drone flying over the lineup deployed specifically as a lookout for sharks. The WA Fisheries Department is also using mobile receivers designed to track sharks that have been tagged. Outside of the WSL competition, the WA government has apparently increased monitoring measures over the past year and is a few months into a trial of non-lethal SMART drum lines. The line has been in place to catch and tag sharks along an 11.5-kilometer stretch of coast off Gracetown.”
Medina, at least, felt a little better. “This year they (the organizers) made us feel more comfortable,” he said. “They put out the boats, Jet Skis, drones, and I’m feeling good. That’s why I came back. Last year was a tough one. Everywhere we were surfing, we were seeing sharks, so yeah, we didn’t feel too comfortable.”
But even with all those efforts, sharks still proved to be enough of a worry to call the event off, even if it was just a brief respite. If the surfers’ safety is indeed the “top priority,” the question does need to be asked: should the Margaret River Pro still be on the tour?
