Surfing competition halted after photographer bitten

A photographer shooting a World Surf League event in New Zealand has been injured by a suspected shark bite, delaying the event for several hours.

The New Zealand Pro semi-final between Brazilian world champions Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira at Raglan on the west coast of the North Island was halted on Monday after the in-water photographer suffered puncture wounds and needed medical attention, the WSL said.

"This morning one of the water photography team suffered a wildlife injury," said WSL tours and competition vice president Renato Hickel. 

"He's okay, he's on his way to a hospital. We are in constant communication with him, he's in a stable condition."

Hinkle earlier told the event broadcast they were unsure what kind of animal had caused the injury.

"At this stage we’re not certain if it was a shark or a sea lion. The doctor that was here helping on the scene was inclined to think it was a sea lion instead of a shark," he said.

"Nevertheless, very scary."

However, Jordana White from the New Zealand Sea Lion Trust contacted the Otago Daily Times to say it was unlikely to be a sea lion, due to there being no breeding population of the animal in the North Island.  

Organisers were reviewing the situation and aimed to restart competition later in the afternoon. 

Wildlife attacks during surf events are rare but not unprecedented.

World champion Mick Fanning famously tussled with a shark during the final of a WSL event at South Africa's Jeffreys Bay in 2015.

Hosting a full world championship tour competition for the first time, Raglan's famously long left-hand point break waves were in short supply for most of the first 10 days of the event and Monday's conditions were among the best of the entire waiting period.

Dora, who scored the first perfect 10-point ride of the season in his quarter-final on Sunday, was leading with a 6.33 ride to Ferreira's 3-pointer before their clash was halted.

Earlier, Australian Morgan Cibilic overcame California's Griffin Colapinto with a two-wave total of 15.34 to 12.20 to claim a spot in the finals.

Hawaii's Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion Carissa Moore will take on California's Sawyer Lindblad in the women's final.

 - Additional reporting ODT Online