“What’s the Point”: Surfing Fans Left in Dismay After WSL Replaces Injured Ethan Ewing With Tahitian Surfer

The 2023 Shiseido Tahiti Pro is almost here. Taking place at the iconic Teahupo’o, the Tahiti Pro will be the last surfing stop before the Championship Tour finals in California next month. Teahupo’o has also been chosen to host next year’s Paris Olympics surfing competitions, acting as a rehearsal of sorts for the biggest sporting event. With just over a day to go to the event, there are already a few changes to the tournament’s lineup. Following this, the World Surf League has issued an update to the event lineup through their social media platform.

Promising Australian surfer Ethan Ewing is now ruled out of the 2023 Shiseido Tahiti Pro. However, he is not the only one. Joining Ewing is a Hawaiian-American surfer, Bettylou Sakura Johnson. Both surfers have suffered injuries that will see them get replaced by the next highest-ranking men and women surfers.

Which surfers are added to the 2023 Tahiti Pro?

World number two Ethan Ewing was practicing in Teahupo’o when a wipeout resulted in him fracturing his L3 and L4 vertebras, pulling him out of Tahiti. Similarly, Bettylou Sakura Johnson has also withdrawn from the event due to a shoulder injury she suffered during her last heat at J-bay. WSL’s Instagram post announced that Ewing would be replaced by Mihimana Braye, who is the next highest-ranked Tahitian surfer on the Challenger Series rankings. While Johnson is being replaced by Aelan Vaast, who is the next highest-ranked female Tahitian surfer.

However, the men’s replacement did not sit right with many surf fans who reminded WSL of another Tahitian’s ionic heat at Teahupo’o. As the trials were underway for the 2023 Tahiti Pro, two local finalists locked horns for what many believe is the best heat of the year. Eimeo Czermak and Matahi Drollet fought closely for a seat in the main event. Despite both local talents scoring perfect 10s, it was Drollet who secured his place in the 2023 Tahiti Pro. However, it was Czermak’s spectacular runner-up performance that captivated the crowds. Surfing fans are now claiming that given Ewing’s injury, Czermak is the rightful replacement if performance is to be considered and they made themselves heard in WSL’s Instagram post.

Surfing fans flood WSL’s comment section

As the WSL announced that Mihimana Braye will be replacing the injured Ethan Ewing, fans expressed their disappointment in the post’s comment section. One fan highlighted Czermak’s thrilling Heat’s performance and commented, “why not put @eimeo.czermak ? So what’s the point of finishing second and hard work ? He fully deserves this place at the main vent @wsl !” Another user disappointed by the WSL’s replacement choice wrote, “@eimeo.czermak should of got the spot after that runner up performance in the trials” However Eimeo Czermak himself showed what he thought about the situation by commenting, “Happy for @mihimanabraye tho” This speaks volumes about the surf prodigy’s sportsman spirit.

Read more: “Causing Some Big Upsets”: Fans in Frenzy as Surfing Underdog Secures Spot in Championship Tour Event by Scoring Perfect 10

One disgruntled fan wrote, “High end robbery for Eimeo. Federation negotiated the trials, so why not use it and put the runner up in the event? Bull**” While one user defended the WSL’s choice of replacement by commenting, “Yo to all the people saying mihimana Braye doesnt deserve it , he been grindin for years, got the wildcard years ago then the event been canceled, do your homework 3 years straight on the podium of the trials, he been there forever !! Eimeo deserves it as much as my brother , but its his Time now ! Get with it ! ” As the surfing world continues to lock horns and take sides, it remains to be seen what more can unfold at the 2023 Tahiti Pro and will the replacement surfers live up to the tournament’s expectations.

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