Ethan Ewing’s world title hopes appear over after the Australian broke his back while surfing Teahupo’o ahead of the Tahiti Pro.

The 24-year-old was ruled out of the event, due to start on Saturday, after wiping out on the famously heavy wave and fracturing his L3 and L4 vertebrae.

Currently ranked number two in the world, Ewing was already guaranteed a berth at next month’s finals day at California’s Trestles.

But the injury places him in severe doubt of lining up in San Clemente on September 8.

The rehabilitation period generally ranges from six weeks to three months if surgery is not required.

The North Stradbroke Island product won an emotional Bells Beach crown this year, 18 years after his late mother Helen rang the bell.

His superb season also earned Ewing Olympic qualification, meaning if fit Ewing will be faced with returning to the same French Polynesian break in less than a year to compete for gold.

AAP

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