Who would win a swimming race between a hammerhead and a great white shark?”
Unfortunately, no one has yet measured the swimming speed of a White Shark going flat-out. Analysis of White Sharks attacking a video camera-equipped surfboard off the South Farallon Islands, California, give some indication of this animal’s attack speed. Current consensus among shark scientists is that the top swimming speed of the Great White is at least 25 miles (40 kilometers) per hour. My own rough, back-of-the-envelope-type calculations — using several methods — suggest that the White Shark may achieve burst speeds of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour or more. That may not seem very speedy, but it’s seven times faster than the finest Olympic swimmer.
