The World Surf League's New Zealand Pro event faced an unexpected halt during the finals day when a photographer was bitten by a sea creature, suspected to be either a shark or a sea lion. This alarming incident occurred while Brazilian surfers Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira were battling it out in the men's semi-finals at Raglan on the North Island.

In response to the attack, organizers activated a 'code red', pausing the competition as medical teams rushed to assist the injured photographer. Renato Hickel, the World Surf League's vice-president of tours and competition, reported that the photographer sustained "small puncture wounds" and was promptly transported to a hospital by ambulance.

Hickel stated during the WSL broadcast:

We activate the code red when it's a sea life attack on a surfer or a photographer. This time it was our beloved water photographer and thank God he's in good spirits. He's well considering what happened.

While the exact identity of the creature remains unclear, Hickel noted that the attending doctor leaned towards it being a sea lion rather than a shark. The incident left both Italo and Yago visibly shaken, having witnessed the splash and commotion, which further justified the decision to suspend the event.

Hickel expressed hope that the competition could resume later that day, despite the unsettling interruption.