CULBURRA’S Owen Wright has withdrawn from the opening half of the WSL Championship Tour season, citing rehabilitation following his December head injury as the primary reason.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wright suffered a serious concussion in the leadup to the final event of the season, the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons, at the world famous Banzai Pipeline. A standout in the warm up sessions ahead of the event, Wright was mowed down by a sizable swell on the morning of December 10, with the impact causing a serious head trauma. Withdrawing from both the event and the title race, Wright remained under medical observation in Hawaii before travelling back to Australia to receive ongoing treatment.
“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 per cent 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.”