From prey to fan: Despite suffering a great white shark bite, O.C. woman raises funds for Shark Stewards
Triathlete Maria Korcsmoros was swimming at Corona del Mar beach seven years ago when she was bitten by a great white shark.
Some might be surprised to learn Korcsmoros, who was 52 at the time of the attack, has become an advocate for shark preservation. To that end, she hosts an annual Run 4 Sharks & Ocean Health Fair, which took place Saturday at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and featured a 5K run followed by a 1-mile walk.
“I’m fully functional and train for triathlons, and now I just have some nerve damage and numbness in my foot,” said Korcsmoros, who had to have 160 staples to repair the damage from the attack and also suffered a punctured lung and several cracked ribs. “I’m generally back to training within the fitness community network with triathlons training.”
The event she established benefits the nonprofit Shark Stewards, which is dedicated to restoring ocean health by saving sharks and protecting marine habitat, with efforts that include youth ocean education programs and beach cleanups in Orange and Los Angeles counties.
“I’m excited this year about the event with the increased attendance registration over 100. Also, we have more volunteers and booth sponsors,” said Korcsmoros. “We are building the event by connecting with people, which is what we want to do.”
Korcsmoros, who lives in Yorba Linda, is a fitness instructor who operates her own business, Kissed by a Shark Wellness. She divides her work time between Trilogy at Glen Ivy Senior Community in Corona and TZone OC in Costa Mesa.
Among the 1-mile runners Saturday was 8-year-old Penny Boyer of Mission Viejo. Thanks to her grandmother, Ruth Seamark of Lake Forest, Penny was able to maintain her six-year attendance record participating in the Run 4 Sharks race.
“Her dad usually brings her, but he was coaching her brother’s soccer team,” Seamark said. “I didn’t want her to miss it so I volunteered to bring her.”
Not a runner herself, Seamark established a way with her granddaughter to stick together during the event.
“I just trotted and fast walked, so Penny had to wait for me,” said Seamark. “She would run ahead and stop until I would catch up, and run ahead a little more until I caught up.”
Seamark added that Penny is very concerned for the environment and all its creatures.
“I hold lizards in my hand and help bees,“ her granddaughter chimed in.
One of the 5K runners, a man who goes by a single name, Chayu, said he and his girlfriend, Katia Irina, both from Laguna Niguel, wanted to do something fun together that would offer some exercise while supporting a good cause.
“Today was my first time doing a run like this,” Chayu said. “I heard footsteps behind me so I didn’t stop.”
The couple then spent time asking questions about sharks at Ranger Jim’s Mini Museum table, which was covered with all things shark, including jaws with teeth from local species who live in our coastal waters.
“I surf quite a bit and I’m interested in gaining knowledge about sharks since I’ve seen 10 to12 sharks when I’ve been surfing,” Chayu said.
Bill Brooks, a marine science teacher, and retired park ranger Jim Serpa (aka “Ranger Jim”) gladly shared facts about sharks to attendees.
“During my career, I’ve collected all this stuff and lectured all over California at educational events,” Serpa said. “The [shark] teeth, for example, are adapted to eating prey, meaning every shark has a tooth specially evolved for prey it eats.”
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