Contender great white shark: Largest white shark ever tagged by research group OCEARCH spotted near popular US beach

A massive 14ft great white shark is being monitored after appearing near a popular US beach area. Contender, who is the largest white shark ever tagged by research group OCEARCH, appears to be taking a break from his northern migration - just 22 miles off the North Carolina coast.

The OCEARCH team said the colossal fish - who weighs in at 1,653lbs (118st) - was first tagged in January 2025 and had recently been spotted off the coast of Georgia, before moving to seas off Florida.

In recent weeks, his journey northward has continued, with Contender's tracker 'pinging' near South Carolina and now, North Carolina. And this week, he was detected just 22 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras - a popular spot for sunseeekers.

OCEARCH experts said Contender's route north was common for great whites, who migrate north for cooler waters in the summer season, and that his stop off the coast was him "taking a break" amid a healthy food supply before he continues up the coast, probably settling off Canada.

"The outer banks is a common rest stop for these white sharks," an expert said. "Thanks to a satellite tag, we are tracking every move he makes and learning the mystery migratory patterns of the white shark."

Contender the great white shark - where did he get his name?

This ocean giant, Contender was named in honour of Contender Boats, a long-term partner of the research programme. OCEARCH say their “industry-leading sport fishing and pleasure boats” have enabled their research missions.

According to the researchers, the SPOT tag deployed on Contender will provide “valuable real-time data” for approximately five years, helping them to track the mature male’s movements and understand his migration patterns.

You can follow Contender and find out more about OCEARCH at ocearch.org