A World Surfing Championship in Australia canceled after two shark attacks

A world surfing championship being held in Australia was canceled on Wednesday after two shark attacks occurred, organizers announced.

The world's top male and female surfers participated in the Margaret River Pro, a 12-day competition organized on the southwest coast of Australia as part of the World Surf League (WSL), since April 11th.

The competition had already been briefly suspended on Monday when a local surfer suffered leg injuries after a shark attack in Gracetown, near the competition site.

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According to a witness, the athlete was knocked down and shaken. "Once on the beach, they started attending to him to stop the bleeding," said Peter Jovic to the media group Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Another surfer, reportedly Danish, was injured in the leg in another shark attack also near Gracetown.

"The WSL made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the Margaret River Pro due to the exceptional circumstances in which the competition is taking place and the safety of our surfers," said Sophie Goldschmidt, CEO of the WSL, in a statement.

"WSL considers safety to be a priority."

Brazilian surfer Italo Ferriera expressed his concern on Tuesday on Instagram, saying he didn't feel safe in the water.

Three years ago, Australian surfer Mick Fanning, three-time world champion, managed to escape unharmed from a great white shark attack during the J-Bay Open in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, which was broadcast live on television.

The competition was also canceled.

According to specialists, there has been an increase in shark attacks due to the growing popularity of water sports and the approach of some marine species to the coasts. (D)