Ferreira’s in doubt for Margaret River

BRAZILIAN surfer Italo Ferreira is in doubt for the second leg of the World Surf League tour after injuring himself trying an aerial manoeuvre at Duranbah.

Ferreira, who made the quarter-finals of the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks last week before being knocked out by defending world champion John John Florence, was in outstanding form, scoring a perfect 10 for a backside 540degree aerial during a heat early in the contest.

But Stab Magazine reported that he had to be carried from the beach on Wednesday after failing to land an attempted aerial move and looked in significant pain as he was taken from the surf.

With the window for the Margaret River Pro opening next week, the former WSL rookie of the year could be in doubt for the event, with Nat Young to step in if he is unavailable.

The injury is a massive blow for Ferreira, who looked in outstanding form when he arrived on the Gold Coast.

Fellow Brazilian Gabriel Medina battled through a knee ligament injury sustained when he landed an air during the Quiksilver Pro to make the quarter-finals at Snapper Rocks. But Ferreira seems in greater doubt to be able to take his place at Margaret River.

Meanwhile, Chelsea Williams has been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the world longboard championships in Papua New Guinea.

Williams, a former world champion who has finished runner-up four times, was narrowly beaten in her quarterfinal by American Kaitlin Maguire, ending her chances of adding another crown to the one she won in 2014. Williams took an early lead after posting a 5.93 with her first wave of the heat and when she posted a 6.17 with her third wave, she seemed in the box seat.

But Maguire had a heathigh 7.17 on her third wave and after finding a back-up score of 5.97, left Williams needing a 6.98 in 0.5-1m conditions at Tupira on the country’s northern coastline.

“That was such a hard heat against Chelsea Williams, my nerves were out of control out there, but I held it together and I’m just ecstatic,” Maguire said.

With Williams out, Coffs Harbour’s two-time world champion Harley Ingleby was the only Australian left in the contest. But the 33-year-old was also knocked out in the quarters, falling to Hawaiian Kai Sallas.

Ingleby posted a two-wave total of 16.40 and not one of his five scoring waves was under 7.17 but he was left needing a near-perfect score after Sallas posted a 9.57 late in the heat.

“Harley’s one of my favourite surfers so to beat him and make it to the semis makes it that much more special,” Sallas said after the round.