Mick Fanning soars above the Jefferys Bay
line up in an earlier round at this year’s event who could have imagined such a dream view
could turn into a such a nightmare in just a few
seconds // Photo Robbie Irlam
Mick had hundreds awaiting him on the beach,
and was offered a view of the footage shortly
after - the impact of the situation eventually
sank in when he offered an incredibly raw
interview - the adrenaline, the flooding emotion
and the realisation hit like a tonne of bricks.
Mike Hoile on the other hand - he didn’t have
a video replay to watch and digest, there was
no live TV audience, just a couple of witnesses
to his own encounter. After a couple of brief
TV grabs for the local media, he was left to
go about his day and somehow seek some
normality. The only thing Mike had to remind
him of his encounter was a surfboard missing
a fin and a few very substantial
shark bite holes in the bottom.
A chaotic scene indeed. In the rush to rip Julian and Mick from the water,
WSL water photographer Kelly Cestari was passed by all of the boats and
skis, and left in the middle of it all, making his own nervous way slowly in
to the rocks // Photo Robbie Irlam