Australian surfer Mick Fanning had a scary moment at a surfing competition in South Africa today.

Fanning fought off a shark attack on live TV.

Mick Fanning was competing at the World Surf League's J-Bay Open in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa when suddenly a shark appeared next to him in the water.

Fanning describes the attack in the video, "I was just sitting there then I felt something grab, like, got stuck in my leg rope. I instantly just jumped away and it just kept coming at my board. I was kicking and screaming."

Fanning said he didn't see the shark's teeth, but he did punch it in the back.

The rest of the competition was cancelled and the World Surf League released this statement:

We are incredibly grateful that no one was seriously injured today. Mick's composure and quick acting in the face of a terrifying situation was nothing short of heroic and the rapid response of our Water Safety personnel was commendable -- they are truly world class at what they do. The safety of our athletes is a priority for the WSL and, after discussions with both Finalists, we have decided to cancel the remainder of competition at the J-Bay Open. We appreciate the ongoing support we have in South Africa and once again want to express our gratitude to the Water Safety Team.

The video contains a brief bit of NSFW language.

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