Wednesday, 18 April 2018:
The remainder of the Margaret River Pro has been cancelled and the long-term future of the World Surf League event may be in jeopardy due to fears of shark attacks.
Retired pro surfer Taj Burrow said it was devastating to see the third leg of the championship campaign called off early, describing the decision as "silly".
Two recreational surfers were mauled by sharks in separate incidents about 6km from one of the event's three competition sites on Monday.
Alejandro Travaglini, 37, needed surgery to both legs after he was attacked at Cobblestones beach in Gracetown, while 41-year-old Jason Longgrass walked to an ambulance after he was bitten on the leg at nearby Lefthanders break.
The WSL said they decided to cancel the rest of the competition because the safety of surfers was their priority.
"If we decided to continue the event under the current circumstances and something terrible were to take place, we would never forgive ourselves," chief executive Sophie Goldschmidt said.
Western Australia Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said he has been given guarantees from the league that the Margaret River Pro will return next year.
But the shark scares are sure to go against hopes of the event earning a new deal beyond that, with the current contract to expire in 2019.
Its long-term future was already under threat before the shark incidents this week.
The presence of beached whales in the area attracted sharks and contributed to their aggressive behaviour.
A white pointer and two tiger sharks followed one of the whale carcasses as it was being towed from Lefthanders surf break to Gracetown beach, where it was loaded onto a truck.
Burrow, whose hometown of Yallingup is just 40km north of Margaret River, didn't agree with the cancellation of the event.
"I just think the risk is so minimal," he told ABC radio.
"Probably the waves they surfed on the first day of the event were a lot riskier than the possibility of a shark attack.
"It's obviously safer in the competition area because they've got a few options for spotting sharks ... it's very well monitored."
But 2014 world champion Gabriel Medina doesn't agree with those sentiments, with the Brazilian expressing concerns about future events at Margaret River.
"I just don't feel comfortable surfing there. I will never surf by myself here because it's not safe," he told reporters.
Just how the cancellation of the event affects world title points remains to be seen.
The women's event was at the quarter-final stage, while the men were about to enter round three.
WSL organisers said there is a chance the event may be concluded later this year at a yet-to-be decided location.
If that is not feasible, the WSL has an option of distributing points as they see fit.
