The World Surf League announced that it had cancelled the Margaret River Pro event near Gracetown, Australia, due to a pair of shark bites in the area.
“The WSL puts the highest premium on safety,” WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said in a statement. “This cannot be just talk, and it cannot be compromised. Surfing is a sport that carries various forms of risk, and is unique in that wild animals inhabit our performance environment.
“Sharks are an occasional reality of WSL competitions, and of surfing in general. Everyone associated with our sport knows that. There have been incidents in the past — and it’s possible that there will be incidents in the future — which did not (and will not) result in the cancellation of an event. However, current circumstances are very unusual and troubling, and we have decided that the elevated risk during this season’s Margaret River Pro has crossed the threshold for what is acceptable.”
Two men were bitten in separate incidents near the event site at Main Break. One man, who was bitten on the leg, remained in a Perth Hospital. Reports of beached whales in the area may have contributed to the larger than normal shark presence. It was not clear what type of sharks were involved in the incidents.
“We are committed to being as prepared as possible for what nature throws at us,” Goldschmidt said. “The WSL maintains strong and constantly-improving safety, monitoring and support infrastructure and protocols, and we would normally have a high degree of confidence in our ability to protect our athletes.”
