Shark attacks force World Surf League to cancel major competition in Australia

Two separate shark attacks on surfers over the last two days forced the World Surf League to cancel one of its major competitions in Western Australia, the organization announced Tuesday.

The Margaret River Pro, the league’s second major competition, was cancelled over safety reasons due to the spate of sharks attacks, World Surf League CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said in a statement.

“Today, the WSL has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the Margaret River Pro, as a result of exceptional circumstances surrounding this season’s event regarding sharks and the safety of our surfers,” Goldschmidt said. “This decision has been reached after many hours of consultation with a variety of stakeholders and experts.”