Fanning _ Slater
Mick Fanning of Australia (pictured blue) is consoled by 11X ASP World Champion Kelly Slater after being attacked by a shark during the Final of the JBay Open on Sunday July 19, 2015. Photo: WSL/Kirstin Scholtz
By now, a good chunk of the planet has seen Mick Fanning’s shark attack/encounter at J-Bay. It was straight off a Hollywood script; a nightmare on live television. Mick is incredibly lucky, as is Julian. And all the viewers are, too. Seeing what could have happened is not something any of us would ever wish for. But seeing what actually happened… well, let’s just say this. Julian didn’t think twice before simply putting his head down and paddling toward his friend. The water safety crew was there in the blink of an eye. And Mick? Well, Mick threw punches at a giant shark.