Tomson's Shark Alarm

Newcastle Herald

Monday April 15, 2002

Sidelines Edited by Kevin Cranson

MOST surfers' greatest fear is a shark attack.

Former world champion Shaun Tomson, who was in town for the EnergyAustralia Invite at Surfest, admitted he was no different ? and with good reason.

The 1977 world title-holder grew up in one of the world's most renowned areas for sharks in South Africa, where Jeffrey's Bay is still his favourite place for a wave.

`Sharks are a great fear of mine,' Tomson said.

`My late father, who was a great swimmer and surfer, was very badly attacked by a shark before I was born. He was preparing for the Olympics at the time and was in a bad way.'

Nevertheless, Tomson went out for a surf at Newcastle Beach last week only hours after there had been a shark attack at Bar Beach and another sighting where he was surfing. * Surfest causes a few headaches for organisers each year and contest director David Kilby had the scars to prove it last week. Kilby was sporting a bandaged head during the Mark Richards Pro after his board speared him in the head while surfing off Nobbys Reef on Monday.

Luckily for Kilby, only one stitch was needed, unlike America's Gavin Beschen, who had a similar accident when freesurfing last week and 10 stitches in his face.