Fairytale turns sour as surf Olympian swindled of fortune by crooked bookkeeper and controversially cut from world tour despite grave brain injury sensationally quits pro surfing!

Owen gets a wildcard from his sponno Rip Curl for Bells, then he’s out.

Do you believe in fairytales? We do! 

Our naivety, if you could call it that, was proved true six years ago when Owen Wright, who doctors said would never walk again, let alone surf, after a catastrophic brain injury following a wipeout at Pipeline in 2015, won the Snapper Pro two years after the devastating accident. 

But, yeah, fairytales also turn sour. 

The one-time world title contender who was dumped from the 2023 tour after missing the mid-year cut last year, has formally announced his retirement from competition citing a fear of lighting up the old brain injury. 

After my traumatic brain injury in 2015, my desire to prove to myself and the world that I could still be great and overcome this life-threatening incident inspired my recovery,” the thirty three year old said in a WSL statement. “Given my recent history with head injuries and concussions, competing at some of the heaviest waves on the planet is no longer in the best interest of my long-term health.I excelled in these conditions over my career, but the risks associated with this type of surfing are too significant for someone in my position, given my medical history.”

He ain’t totally shelving his boards, however.

“I hope to keep surfing for the rest of my life,” he said. “I love surfing and thank the sport for everything I have.”

Owen gets a wildcard from his sponno Rip Curl for Bells, then he’s out.

A couple of years back it was revealed a family friend turned bookkeeper to the Wright family had swindled ’em of $1.5 mill. Over the course of eight years, beginning in 2012, Owen was fleeced for $815,000 via 317 electronic transfers by the woman who was revealed to be a keen horse racing enthusiast. 

If you’re worried O ain’t got a pot to piss in, as they say here in the Antipodes, fear not. 

Despite the plume of golden hair, swooning eyes and bullfighter’s body that once whipped women into a froth, O is a real estate developer of considerable note.

You’ll remember the $1.6 million house at Lennox Head with its indoor swimming pool that meandered through the living room,  the Federation-style house in Byron Bay (a little under a million), the beachfront townhouse at Thirroul (675,000) and the gorgeous mountain-top hideaway (bought for 750k, sold for a million).

And, recently, the beach shack he bought for $5.1 million in Byron Bay before bulldozing it and building four luxury villas, keeping one for himself and another for his biz partner and selling the remaining two for $6.5 mill apiece. 

Hence, no GoFundMe etc.