Great White Shark Trails Foil Surfer for Miles Off California Coast

Harrowing footage captured a great white shark pursuing foil surfer Ron Takeda for several minutes during a 20-mile downwind run between UC Santa Barbara and Carpinteria on Saturday. Takeda and Tavis Boise were using hydrofoil boards, which allow riders to glide above water, when a 10 to 11-foot-long shark began tracking Takeda closely, matching his turns and speed in what Boise described as a "cat and mouse" pursuit. Boise filmed the encounter on a selfie stick, shouting warnings like "Don't fall" and "Go, go, go!" The shark followed Takeda for about three minutes before peeling away. Takeda later recounted on Facebook that the shark was at times directly beneath his board and thrashing behind him. The incident coincides with expert warnings of increased shark activity off California due to unusually warm ocean temperatures and potential El Niño conditions drawing marine life closer to shore.