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Girl, 14, Battles Shark With Boogie Board

Quick-thinking teen thwarts New Zealand shark attack

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 2, 2010 1:45 AM CST | Updated Feb 2, 2010 6:29 AM CST

(Newser) – A 14-year-old New Zealand girl managed to fight off an attacking 5-foot shark armed only with a boogie board. Lydia Ward was attacked after stepping on a "big, gray, slippery thing" in waist-high water off the southern city of Invercargill. The shark wrapped its jaws around her waist but let go after she whacked it with the board, she tells the New Zealand Herald.

Lydia managed to escape serious injury but was treated in a local hospital for two of the deeper puncture wounds. The teen has no plans to return to the ocean any time soon. "It sort of put me off the beach, but it's still fine with rivers and lakes," she said. "I'll stick to them now."

I showed Dad and he didn't really believe me but then I showed him my wetsuit with all the blood coming out and he believed me, Lydia said.
"I showed Dad and he didn't really believe me but then I showed him my wetsuit with all the blood coming out and he believed me," Lydia said.   (Shutter Stock)
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She's a really cool-headed little girl. There was no screaming or anything, or hysterics. She just came up to the car, she looked a bit shaky, and she said, 'oh, I've just been attacked by a shark. And I was like, 'What?' - Fiona Ward, Lydia's mother

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
sallythedoctor
Feb 3, 2010 1:59 AM CST
Whenever I hear a story like this, all I can think about is how epic those scars are going to be.
rickson
Feb 2, 2010 8:29 AM CST
shark was all nom nom nom than girl was all like "uh-uh little gray dude" *WHACK*
jfcd
Feb 2, 2010 8:20 AM CST
this girl's awesome :D

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