‘We will kill you’: Aussie surfer Ethan Ewing cops death threats amid WSL furore

Three-time world champion Gabriel Medina has sparked a fiery furore which has seen our top ranked Aussie surfer targeted in a vile attack.

Ethan Ewing has copped death threats from irate Brazilian fans. Photo: Getty Images and Instagram

Aussie World No. 4 surfer Ethan Ewing has copped a death threat after he eliminated Brazilian legend Gabriel Medina at the Surf Ranch Pro in California over the weekend.

Competing in the wave pool event as part of the Championship Tour, the tournament was ultimately won by American Griffin Colapinto, who beat Brazilian Italo Ferreira.

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Ewing finished third in the tournament after he was edged out by Ferreira in the semi-finals.

But it was his quarterfinal match up that had tongues wagging.

The 24-year-old Aussie edged the three-time world champion Medina despite scoring the same score of 16.67, with Ewing having score the bigger wave at 9.07.

Post-event, Medina sent an open letter to the World Surf League, protesting the “inconsistency in the definition of grades”, calling recent scores “shocking”.

“Dear WSL, please understand the importance of this discussion,” he wrote in a translated message.

“Surfing has been my life and my love for this sport is unconditional. I have put all my heart into and want to leave a beautiful legacy one day when I look back at it.

“However the surfing community, especially in Brazil, is mesmerised with the poor clarity and inconsistence of judging for many years now, but lately it has been even more shocking.

Not clear if Medina wanted to target Ewing. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

“It is quite clear that judging is now rewarding very simple surfing, seamless transitions and have taken critical turns in critical sections off the criteria. This is very frustrating and is stagnating the sport.

“Fans and sponsors will not accept this to continue and will in a near future be drawn away once all they want is equal and fair judging to the sport.

“Also, important to note that many coaches and managers have had the opportunity to speak to WSL after heats/events to ask about PROGRESSION and VARIETY in the criteria and the lack of reward for this space. The response given by them is always quite defensive by giving poor examples to illustrate THEIR point.

“WSL needs urgently to clarify judging and apply equal and fair judging to save the progression of the sport.”

Medina sent the message after Colapinto’s win sent him to the top of the men’s rankings after a 17.77 to 17.13 win.

But Medina may have inadvertently turned the spotlight on the World No. 4, who shared a death threat via his Instagram.

Responding: “How good are surfing fans!”, Ewing screenshotted two messages from a so-called fan.

“One day, you will compete here in Brazil and us will remember you. Get ready,” one message read.

“I’m saying again, here in Brazil, we will kill you. Saquarema will be your funeral.”

Ewing was just doing his job. Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP

Ethan Ewing has brushed it off. Photo: Instagram

The WSL will head to Brazil for an event at Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between June 23 and July 1.

Reigning surfing world champion Felipe Toledo also took aim at the judging.

“After a long day, of many thoughts, analyses, news and arguments, I realised that I am tired, psychologically exhausted. It’s not easy to spend 10 years swallowing hard,” wrote Toledo.

“I’m a surfer, original and rooted, who grew up among real surfers, and fairness has always been one of the main points in my experience. That’s why I feel tired.

“For the love of sport, I’m still firm and strong. And now, I feel happy seeing the posts by Gabriel Medina, Italo Ferreira, and many others, who can still adhere to the idea that what we seek will always be the evolution of the sport, with justice and transparency.

“We want nothing but fair. Nothing beyond what is our right. We need our voice to be heard and respected, because, after all, we are the protagonists of it all!”

Ethan Ewing has been targeted by death threats. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Questions of unfair judging targeting the Brazilians raised eyebrows, particularly when Brazilian surfers have won six of the last eight world titles including the last four straight, broken up only by Hawaii’s John John Florence in 2016 and 2017.

Four Brazilians also currently sit in the top 10 surfers on the current rankings, including No. 2 Joao Chianca and No. 3 Teledo.

The WSL blasted the comments.

“Surfing is an ever-evolving, subjective sport and we appreciate a robust debate around the progression of our sport and the criteria used to judge our competitions,” a WSL spokesperson told Reuters.

“However, it is unacceptable for any athlete to question the integrity of our judges who … are elite professionals.”