Former champion surfer Jodie Cooper, who was allegedly held under water during a surf rage attack by surfboard shaper Mark Thomson, pretended to drown as she feared for her life, a court has heard.

Ms Cooper, 54, was surfing at Lennox Head on August 22 last year with a crowd of about 100 when she took off on a wave and was cut off by Mr Thomson riding a surf mat, police say.

Jodie Cooper outside Ballina Local Court on Friday. Credit:Jason O'Brien

"He was dropping in on me, nearly on top of me. He was aggressively cutting back into me and felt like trying to provoke me off the wave," Ms Cooper, who was a stunt double in the cult 1991 film Point Break, said.

Mr Thomson then allegedly grabbed Ms Cooper, and held her head under the water.