Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy said she can't hear on one side and will be out of the water "for a few weeks," but that she feels better every day, she did so in an Instagram story.

“I can’t surf right now or hear from this side at all, but I’m grateful to be in the sun and near the ocean and I hope you guys are in the ocean or near the ocean too,” she explained, speaking in English.

This raises questions about whether he will arrive at Bells in good physical condition, as stage 4 of the CT will take place between March 26 and April 5.

Brisa suffered an injury last week while surfing at the CT in Portugal which forced her to leave the water in the middle of the round 1 heat.

He then explained that he had ruptured an eardrum.

On other occasions, surfers like Sally Fitzgibbons have surfed CT stages with tape and a helmet to keep water out of their ears.

Hennessy was fourth in the rankings before the Portugal stage.