This time last year, Owen Wright was watching from the stands as his sister, Tyler, was winning her first Roxy Pro Gold Coast. At the time, he was likely wondering what the future held for his own pro surfing career. Wright was still only a few months removed from a serious head injury, suffering from intense concussion-like symptoms, diagnosed as blood on the brain after getting rolled by a second reef set at Pipeline.
Flash forward to today, and the rangey bloke was using his precise, vertical backhand attack to take down Snapper local and 3x World Champ Mick Fanning. It's a storybook ride for Wright so far, and one that's unfolding before an audience eager for more magic.