Competition for waves turns nasty between surfers

Bad blood between two professional surfers has spilled out into the carpark after amateur footage captured the pair almost coming to blows before an event.

Australia's Mikey Wright and Brazilian Jesse Mendes were warming up for the Margaret River Pro when the competition for practice waves became fierce.

Mendes was clearly frustrated with Wright after the Aussie continued to use his position in the surf to cherry-pick the best waves at North Point.

Wright had already caught a bunch of waves when he paddled out again to claim a nice set that Mendes had been waiting patiently for.

Rather than let it go and wait for another set, the Brazilian committed one of the biggest cardinal sins in surfing sin by dropping in on Wright and taking the wave himself.

It didn't go down well with the Aussie, who pulled up the Brazilian in the carpark after they'd finished their surf.

Angry words were exchanged from both men, with Mendes appearing to smack Wright in the body with his board.

The fiery confronation was captured and posted to Instagram before it was later removed.

Organisers of the Margaret River Pro were forced to call off competition on Tuesday because of two shark attacks at nearby beaches in Western Australia.