Surfing: Paige Hareb breaks ribs after crashing into rocks

Paige Hareb will miss the next two events after breaking ribs. WSL / Poullenot SOCIAL

Broken ribs and a lung abrasion have forced Kiwi surfer Paige Hareb to withdraw from her next two competitions.

The 28-year-old suffered the injury crashing into hidden rocks during a free surf in Mexico, where she was scheduled to attend one of the major events on the qualifying series.

As a result, she will be unable to take part in the contest, will pull out of a smaller follow up QS event in South African, and is unlikely to be fit for the next Championship Tour event - which will be the first ever women's contest at Jeffrey's Bay.

Hareb said she was absolutely gutted to have to pull out of the events.

"[I] did a turn and jumped off right before a rock and was sweet but came up right in front of it with my board touching it and me about a metre away. I couldn't get my board in time before the next wave so tried to swim sideways to the side of the rock but the next wave came super quick and slammed me sideways sooo hard straight into it. I heard my ribs crack underwater!!! Broke ribs number 9 & 10.

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INJURY!...did a turn and jumped off right before a rock and was sweet but came up right in front of it with my board touching it and me about a metre away. I couldn’t get my board in time before the next wave so tried to swim sideways to the side of the rock but the next wave came super quick and slammed me sideways sooo hard straight into it. I heard my ribs crack underwater!!! 😳 Broke ribs number 9 & 10. Could hardly breathe, somehow floated to shore and a local Mexican surfer finally helped drag me in after he thought I was waving at him and waved back at me twice LOL I have an abrasion on my right lung and some liquid inside from it. They were worried I had punctured my liver or lung which I nearly did, so lucky! 😅 #kookoftheday UNFORTUNATELY I have to pull out of the qs event here in Mexico and the @wsl Jbay event for now. Absolutely gutted! Heartbroken (and rib broken 🤭) A BIG THANKYOU to the guy that dragged me in, @kurtyjay @elliejbrooksss @harrywrighty_ @isabella_nichols @dmacsurfboards and whoever else I missed that helped me in my delirious state, THANKYOU! ❤️ Hoping to be able to fly home soon to recover quickly! 🤞🏽💪🏽

A post shared by Paige Hareb (@paigehareb) on Jun 14, 2018 at 9:38am PDT

"Could hardly breathe, somehow floated to shore and a local Mexican surfer finally helped drag me in after he thought I was waving at him and waved back at me twice.

"I have an abrasion on my right lung and some liquid inside from it. They were worried I had punctured my liver or lung which I nearly did."

She said she was hoping to return to New Zealand soon to recover, with the hope of being fit for the Vans US Open in California in late July.

The injury will prevent her from improving her position on the QS ladder at the QS6000 event, and will likely see a drop from her current ninth-placed ranking.

There will still be some Kiwi representation at the event in Mexico however, with Ella Williams competing in the event looking to improve her case for a shot on the Championship Tour.