The mother of an Australian surfer who survived a close encounter with a great white shark believes her son's dead sibling was watching over him.

Kiwi Maz Quinn has described the shark attack on Mick Fanning as a "surfer's worst nightmare".

Kiwi cousin of Mick Fanning says family were stunned by what they saw: "It was hard to watch.. it gave me chills."

Julian Wilson's selfless heroism is being praised after he swam towards a great white shark that was attacking fellow Aussie Mick Fanning.

Get behind the lense with Alan Van Gysen for an in-depth look at nailing the shot and packing the right tools to capture the surf trip of a lifetime. Source: Red Bull/Youtube

The Cape Fear wave is like nothing else on this earth. It's shallow, unpredictable, steep, and a wave that's nearly impossible to master. Unpredictable and treacherous on it's best of days. With a keen look at the landscape, and a deep respect for the wave, surfers can arm themselves with the intel to take on the beast... but making it out clean is never a guarantee. Take an inside look at the science behind the slab, in preparation for the 2015 Red Bull Cape Fear Contest.

Orewa is a long way from Muriwai. But that doesn't faze Lucy Makaea in her quest to be the best surf lifesaving competitor she can be.

Kiwi surfer Ricardo Christie continues to acclimatise himself to the World Surf league, recording a career-best result at the Rio Pro in Brazil yesterday.

Surfboards are joining the wave of products being produced by high-tech 3D printers.

New Zealand surfer Ricardo Christie has eliminated joint world No.1 Filipe Toledo from the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia.

Watch: a highlights package of the Ultimate Waterman even at Pinnacle surf break off Potato Point at Purakaunui.

Kelly Slater admitted his chance to claim a record 12th world surfing title was slipping away after he was dumped out of the Rip Curl Pro by Brazilian Gabriel Medina.

A surfer will go anywhere to get a good wave. Even on a chilly Dunedin day.

A long-standing trademark dispute between surfing wax company Sex Wax and swimwear company Zoggs has ended at the Supreme Court.

A century ago, overdressed crowds flocked to New Zealand beaches to see if the rumours were true - that a strange man from foreign shores could walk on water.

Raglan surfer Billy Stairmand lived up to his favourite's tag at the national surfing championships yesterday, winning the open men's division in ferocious conditions at Piha Beach.

Top surfer Zen Wallis looks for a safe landing after hitting the eject button on a wave during the 2015 national championships at south Piha, Auckland, yesterday.

A new era in female surfing was ushered in at the 2015 Billabong national surfing championships yesterday as six young surfers forced their way into the semifinals of the open women's division.

A shark hooked by a fisherman that "tail-walked" before breaking free may well have been a great white, a passing charter skipper says.

A former South Auckland man has described watching his friend escape from the jaws of a great white shark while surfing in California.

New Zealand surfer watches in horror as his friend is dragged under the water by a great white shark off a Californian beach.

A surfer who died at a beach on Boxing Day has been described as an "inspiration" to other divers in his dive club.

Awards are all the rage at this time of year. Surfing won't trouble the gong department though. Indeed, the board brigade might rank as New Zealand's worst performing sport.