What happens if there's a shark sighting or the surf becomes dangerous during my heat?

Q: What happens if there's a shark sighting or the surf becomes dangerous during my heat?

Under the SSA Rulebook 2025 (Sections 9 and 10): Shark sighting in or near the competition area The horn is blown five times, surfers are told over the PA to leave the water immediately, followed by more horn blasts. Jet skis assist if available. The competition is suspended; if a heat was interrupted, the time, scores and priority are recorded. The competition area is closed for at least 20 minutes, and competition restarts only when safety officials and the Contest Director deem it safe. After a shark attack, competition is suspended for the day and until further notice; on the final day, the event is cancelled. Dangerous surf or weather The Contest Director, Head Judge, Events Manager and Head Water Safety decide whether to suspend, reschedule or cancel. Suspension is the usual step; rescheduling or cancelling is a last resort. If a heat is stopped, the Head Judge pauses the clock and records priority. The heat restarts with exactly the time left and the same priority. A surfer who was out of the priority zone when it stopped but is in the line-up on restart gets priority in the order of who rode the last wave. Heats are never extended. Only in exceptional cases (no surfer had a clear advantage, or conditions changed too much to judge on the same scale) may the whole heat be re-surfed.

Question

Accepted Answer

Under the SSA Rulebook 2025 (Sections 9 and 10):

Shark sighting in or near the competition area

The horn is blown five times, surfers are told over the PA to leave the water immediately, followed by more horn blasts. Jet skis assist if available.
The competition is suspended; if a heat was interrupted, the time, scores and priority are recorded.
The competition area is closed for at least 20 minutes, and competition restarts only when safety officials and the Contest Director deem it safe.
After a shark attack, competition is suspended for the day and until further notice; on the final day, the event is cancelled.

Dangerous surf or weather

The Contest Director, Head Judge, Events Manager and Head Water Safety decide whether to suspend, reschedule or cancel. Suspension is the usual step; rescheduling or cancelling is a last resort.
If a heat is stopped, the Head Judge pauses the clock and records priority. The heat restarts with exactly the time left and the same priority. A surfer who was out of the priority zone when it stopped but is in the line-up on restart gets priority in the order of who rode the last wave.

Heats are never extended. Only in exceptional cases (no surfer had a clear advantage, or conditions changed too much to judge on the same scale) may the whole heat be re-surfed.