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Less than a month ago, Oz Surf fans were heartbroken after hearing the news that Ethan Ewing broke his back while warming up for the Championship Tour event at Teahupoo. Ewing’s celebrated panache was making all Australian surfers feel a little more stylish; or at least helping them strive to be. It’s also been ten years since Mick Fanning won his world title in 2013. That’s the longest Australia has ever gone without claiming a men’s world title. In Ethan we hoped. Ethan was also in career-best form going into the final, regular event on the CT schedule with back-to-back second places in Brazil and J-Bay. There’s not doubt he was a genuine title contender.
But after the unfortunate wipeout (below) at Chopes, which ultimately fractured his L2 and L3 vertebrae’s, it seemed Ethan’s dream of becoming a world champion in 2023 had slipped away.
So, when we saw videos of Ethan shredding on Trestle’s long walls, earlier this week, we were shocked but also stoked. Many of us had written him off as a non-starter, given spinal injuries of such nature often require surgery and extensive rehab. “Why would you risk really screwing yourself up?” I heard one surfer say in a knowing tone. Everyone, it seemed, had become an overnight expert in back injuries and there was wild speculation about Ethan’s progress at every Ozi beach.
Clearly, the pain and niggling doubt were not enough to infiltrate the psyche of Ethan, who wants nothing more than a world title.
Ethan spoke to Brazilian surf media company Canalwoohoo down at Trestles this week and provided an update on his injury.
“When I first did it, I thought, ‘I’m not going to be surfing for a long time’, maybe, ’cause I knew there was something wrong with my back ’cause I slammed it really hard on the reef.”
“I got some scans, there were some fractures, not too bad, no risk for the spinal cord. Very lucky.”
“I just have to keep doing my physio, getting better and better each day. I won’t be one hundred percent but I’ll do everything to put on a good performance.”
If we look at US sports history, Ethan’s circumstances are similar to Dallas Cowboys Emmit Smith’s fabled performance against the New York Giants in 1993. After dislocating his shoulder in the match, Emmit, managed to finish the game with a whopping 229 rushing yards, which helped secure the win for the Cowboys.
Whether Ethan wins or not, even attempting this feat is an achievement and a testament to the 25-year-old’s heart and character. Most Australian fans won’t make it to Trestles but Ethan should know that a nation of surfers will be alongside him through every turn, willing him on to victory. (And of course with Jack, Molly and Tyler too…)
Ethan will face the winner of Jack Robinson and Joao Chianca in his first heat to decide who takes on hometown hero Griffin Colapinto, which in turn determines who’s going against world no. 1, Filipe Toledo.
Tracks 2023 Final Five preview and predictions is coming soon.
