Sharked punched. Watermen inducted. Mavericks swells. Alyssa hat-tricks.

News roundup goes to Aus, Hawaii, NorCal and Florida this week.

Shark at the Bombie: Wing-foiler lives to tell the tale

Margaret River surfer Andy McDonald had a terrifying encounter this week that he won’t soon forget—because he punched a shark. While wing-foiling between Margaret River Bombie and Boat Ramp, the 61-year-old local was launched into the air by what he described as a “freight train” from below. He landed on the shark, which then dragged him underwater.

“I thought, ‘Well, this is it,'” he recalled.

But Andy fought back. And so did his friend Neil Mattinson, who paddled over without hesitation after hearing the word “shark.” Together they made it 300 meters to shore. No fatalities, no footage—but one hell of a story. A shark warning has been issued for Prevelly, and the bite radius (estimated at 35–38 cm) points to a juvenile great white. This marks Australia’s 18th shark encounter this year.

Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame welcomes four legends

At the 15th Annual Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame gala, four titans of surf and paddle were inducted for their impact both in and out of the water:

• Patti Paniccia – Founded the first women’s division in pro surfing back in ’76 and challenged workplace discrimination as an Emmy-nominated journalist.
  
• Rochelle Ballard – Barrel queen of Teahupoʻo and Pipeline, she co-founded International Women Surfers and pushed for visibility and equity.
  
• Johnny “Johnny Mac” McCandless – Canoe club pillar and early Peʻahi charger, co-organizer of the Pailolo Challenge.
  
• Lauren Spalding – 12-time Molokaʻi OC-1 champ, Olympian, and world-class kayak and outrigger racer.

Congratulations y’al!

Maverick’s season opens with 40-foot giants

November 6 brought the first real pulse of Maverick’s season and surfers descended on Half Moon Bay hoping to get lucky. They did.

Wave faces hit 40 feet. Dozens paddled or towed in, including big-wave names and international chargers from Mexico and Panama. The rescue team was on high alert, and some surfers left with cracked ribs, burst eardrums, and broken boards. 

Our new Mavs fav, 19-year-old Zoe Chait said:

“I should’ve gone straight down the face.I’ll make that wave next session.”

Whether you call it Maverick’s or Mavericks (yes, it is named after a dog), the season is officially on.

Alyssa Spencer makes Super Girl Surf Pro history

There’s a new cape in town—and it fits very well. Alyssa Spencer just became the first surfer to win the Super Girl Surf Pro three times at the QS level, sealing her victory over 15-year-old Eden Walla (the event’s youngest finalist ever).

Alyssa’s winning heat turned on a 6.67 ride (we don’t know what this means) But nice one, Alyssa!