"The shark had kind of come at me from in front and then went around the back and had a little go at my legs…"
At around three this afternoon, the former world number one Matt Wilkinson felt, but didn’t see, a wild splash near his feet while paddling at Sharpes Beach, a lonely stretch of water between Ballina and Lennox.
A clubby drone operator, who filmed the encounter, told Wilko via the little chopper’s speaker that there was a dangerous shark in the area.
Wilko came in, saw the footage and oowee.
https://twitter.com/slsnsw/status/1313742332269715456
“The shark had kind of come at me from in front and then went around the back and had a little go at my legs, then last minute decided that my feet stunk or something and turned away,” Wilko told ABC North Coast. “It was probably about eight-foot long, it looked like it was a few feet longer than me…I’m feeling pretty lucky. We get to see sharks a little bit out in the surf but that was definitely my closest encounter and I hope it doesn’t get any closer than that.”
Comparing his encounter with Mick Fanning’s famous episode in 2015, the newly wed thirty two year old said,“His one was a little bit more wild than mine, but I guess I got to feel that weird, heart-sinking but lucky feeling when I saw that footage. But I’m still here in one piece and I’ll live to surf another day.”
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Realized it was 1 of hose boney humans ( not a big fat seal) & decided against an investigative bite.
Can’t go overseas, and when we surf giant toothy fish in excess numbers want to shred us apart.
Australian beach culture is legit under threat by these asshole fish. Where are the brave political leaders on this shit? I swear you’d get up on a controlled cull platform on the east coast atm – if there was an election.
Write a letter to Albo.
better to get scomo to get his hillsong crew to pray away the sharks (and gays).
Funny how spring suits make a former world no. 1 look like a VAL/is that a hypto krypto?
wonder how many rip curl wetties he has left…
One less after that I’d assume.
Heston is a Bloody awful shot for an NRA man …..
horrifying!
Bloody Hell he is such a great tube rider
I like the color of the boardies …. Hemoglobin
… NSW North Coast Shark Bite Red …..
He should go back to making videos of chicks shitting on him. Way better.
A Star is Porn .
A future German river wave world champ.
I think we need to know what foot moisturizer Wilko is using.
Toe Jam
Is the shark ok ?
Woah that’s scary. By the way am I the only one who thinks it’s a bit misleading when pros are referred to as former world #1 (or whatever number) when that wasn’t the position they held at the end of the campaign?
Yes, and they keep saying Biden is vice Pres,
They need to sort this shit out if they want to be the new Bible of the sport!
Right now it’s more like the Koran.
Very misleading and slightly gay
I’ve read neither but I’m looking for a new book to read. I hear the Old Testament is quite fucked up.
Or just watch it
https://youtu.be/BgUE8yTUtDg
3 minutes in…kinda kinky so far.
Please tell me Charlton Heston gets shot in it ?
Eye for Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth and something about not dreaming about absconding with your neighbors cow ? ….. funnily enough no mention of Heaven or Hell or eternal life ……or god forbid , the Devil . but basically a set of laws for living in a small jewish agricultural village when we still believed the sun rotated around the earth and the wheel was high tech ….. about as relevant today as Transworld Surf or the recently deceased Surfer Mag ?
He could become an ex President and surf Point Break with Bodhi …..
Who’s “they?”
The meedya
Never heard of him ?
Here’s our boy Wilko 2014 transforming from party animal , to a man about to win 3 CT events ( 3 more than Kolohe …! ) . Snapper , Bells and Cloudbreak , and go from the caretakers son , living on top of the surf club … to resort owner at millionaire acres Byron Bay …
His round 3 heat at JBay that year was exceptional and he schooled Smelly Slater so bad , that Ross Williams was making up excuses …. like Kelly just arrived , he doesn’t surf enough ( whose fault was that ) ….. Thanks Wilko … even just for this one heat .you fuckin legend !
https://youtu.be/651HjAyCGsQ ( sorry about the music but I ain’t goin to argue with Captain Kai ! )
I just watched it again for a 4th time … definitely up there with Occy , Bobby M .. if not better ?
a bit over your ski’s there Jim Jim.
Nice footy to close, but everyone knew he would choke on the gold jersey.
No one expected him to even come close…. that was why it was such a magical moment .
Lightening bottom turns!!!
Yeah love it! – Surfs like a wild man!
A lesson I learned from Brad Gerlach, who led the tour ratings for a time and prefers being referred to as a former world number one.
ha! I take it back. Must be correct and proper if Mr Gerlach did it.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av… or as a “former pro”. is he out of the game completely?
Yeah that’s wrong – he was entering events earlier this year no? The BBC talk a lot of shit these days.
Just unreal how fate or god or whatever runs this planet works.
Wilko was spared, surfing on his own, if the thing had decided to have a taste Wilko is most likely dead, bled out before he gets back to shore.
A bit like the year he finished 3rd. No one knows why, you were just blessed. Same as today. Now take this second chance and live well.
I’m happy you are alive.