Wave assault halts wsl new zealand championship

A freak encounter with a harbor seal has thrown the World Surf League’s international competition in New Zealand into temporary disarray. Photographer Ed Sloane suffered minor injuries – bite marks to his ankle and a lost fin – during what’s being investigated as an apparent attack by the marine mammal, all while a men’s semi-final was underway.

Chaos at the break

Initial medical assessments, spearheaded by the WSL’s Renato Hickel, swiftly ruled out a shark encounter.