Owen Wright To Miss First 6 events!

And maybe no Owen Wright for the rest of the year…

Head injuries are a damn thing. This bucket on our heads, a quarter-of-an-inch of bone and a few layers of tissue forever separating us between life and catastrophe.

On December 9 last year, the Australian surfer Owen Wright was nailed by a set at Pipe, came in, went back to the Rip Curl house, felt weird, an ambulance was called and he was rushed to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a “traumatic” brain injury.

Serious concerns surround the health of 2015 surfing world title contender, Owen Wright… Fears that Wright is still having trouble speaking and even standing have spread throughout tight-lipped surfing community…revealed he was still struggling with amnesia just last week.

He hasn’t surfed since.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reported in January that, “Serious concerns surround the health of 2015 surfing world title contender, Owen Wright… Fears that Wright is still having trouble speaking and even standing have spread throughout tight-lipped surfing community…revealed he was still struggling with amnesia just last week.”

This morning, the WSL announced that Owen, a perennial world title contender, would miss, at the least, the first half of the 2016 tour.

“It’s disappointing to have to withdraw from the opening events of the year, but the important thing is to ensure that I am 100% healthy for when I return to that level of competition,’ Wright said. ‘I’ve been working regularly with top specialists in the country and they’ve given me a lengthy rehabilitation time before I’m able to feel normal again and a period of time after that before they’re confident I can perform at the elite level without additional risk. Head injuries are tricky in terms of mapping out recovery time and it’s possible that I may not be able to pull the jersey on all year. I want to thank my family, friends, fans, sponsors and the WSL for their ongoing support.’”

“A standout wildcard performer even before his elite tour debut, Wright’s CT rise has been nothing short of meteoric. The Australian has been a consistent fixture at the top of the rankings, posting major wins in New York and in Tahiti. Unfortunately, today’s announcement is not the first injury that Wright has suffered as a back issue saw the goofy-footer sit out most of 2013. Having recovered in sensational fashion once already in his career, supporters are hopeful that he will do so once again.

“‘Very sad to see someone of Owen’s caliber suffer such serious injury,” Kieren Perrow, WSL Commissioner, said. “The important thing is that he’s on the road to recovery and taking the appropriate time to ensure that he is 100% before returning to competition. While it’s unfortunate news for the sport and its fans, we’re fully supportive of Owen taking the time he needs and wish him a full and speedy recovery.'”

“Wright’s WSL Top 34 position in the opening events of the season – Gold Coast, Bells Beach, Margaret River, Rio de Janeiro, Fiji and Jeffreys Bay – will be filled by first replacement Adam Melling (AUS).”