Stab Magazine | Why Is Owen Wright Sleeping In His Car The Night Before The Finals?

Season finale of How Surfers Get Paid drops Thursday, 5pm PT

592 Views

Why Is Owen Wright Sleeping In His Car The Night Before The Finals?

Domestic dispute? Quite the contrary!

news // Apr 5, 2018
Words by stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

At the 2018 Quik Pro Snapper, Julian Wilson was victorious despite a litany of factors against him. First and foremost was his separated shoulder, which, on top of keeping Julian out of the water for the previous six weeks, made it incredibly painful to paddle against the Superbank’s notorious current. Next was his newborn daughter Olivia, who came kicking and screaming into the world less than two weeks before the event. While Julian’s job beckoned, he didn’t want to miss anything at home with his child, which is why he decided to drive three hours in each direction between his Sunny Coast home and the comp site every single day. That meant a 4 am departure on the morning of the final, after what one can assume was a night of constant wake-up calls due to the baby. 

But despite his rustiness, pain, and sleep deprivation (or perhaps because of it?), Julian walked away with a win at Snapper, earning him $100,000 and the coveted yellow singlet.

While Julian lost early at Bells, it’s possible that another new(ish) Tour Daddy will be following in his footsteps later today.

Last night, via his Instagram, Owen Wright explained why he will be sleeping in his car the night before Finals Day. 

Screen Shot 2018 04 04 at 7.47.50 AM

The text reads: Last nights bed and tonight’s.. back of a commo wagon! I used to sleep in the back of a car for the 10 yrs before I qualified and now I’ve gone full circle. Bringing back some good memories haha last year I was a new sleep deprived Dad competing on tour… this year I’ve learnt and got myself a sound proof room next to the house. Thanks @kitaalexander for allowing me this luxurious sanctuary while you wake every hr to our coughing crying angel! #dadlife#mumlife #tourlife bring on finals day @wsl

This car-sleeping system, while not ideal, is the type of compromise that parents must make to ensure a healthy, happy existence for both themselves and their offspring. The concept of a superstar surfer sleeping in his car the night before a major competition may seem ridiculous, but it just goes to show how Owen is dually committed to his career and his family. The Aussie could have gone to Bells without Kita and Vali, which would have helped avoid the sleepless nights, but it’s likely that their love and support supersede these negative consequences, leading to Owen’s second quarterfinal berth in as many contests. 

Screen Shot 2018 04 04 at 9.04.55 AM

While it might be logistically easier to leave the fam at home, the prospect of missing out on a moment like this–where all parts of love and happiness collide–would be stripping yourself of life’s greatest pleasures.

Life is a balancing act, and despite the fact that a six-foot-three Owen Wright is currently cooped up in an automobile, attempting to get some much-needed rest before a huge day at Bells, I’d say he’s walking the line quite well. 

Don’t be surprised if he blitzes Mick this morning, then goes on to win the whole damn contest.  

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Take Stab’s 2023 Audience Survey, Win A 3-Board Quiver

Stab towels and Premium subscriptions also up or grabs.

Mar 21, 2023

Jessi Miley Dyer On The New Challenger Series Schedule And More

Did you know that you could miss the mid-year cut and still theoretically win the…

Mar 20, 2023

5:05

“I’m A West Oz Bogan For Sure, I Just Don’t Have The Mullet”

The first SEOTY entry of 2023 is ‘Into Dust’ ft. Jacob Willcox.

Mar 20, 2023

Warren Smith on New Welcome Rivers Range and Buying Jaguars on Facebook Marketplace  

Now available in the Antipodes...

Mar 20, 2023

5:13

Wavegarden Spills How The Sausage Is Made

BTS of their global air wave rollout ft. Yago Dora, Dion Agius, Reef Heazlewood and…

Mar 18, 2023

Minds, Machines, And The Magic Of Hands

How modern shapers split their time between designing files and hand-finishing boards.

Mar 18, 2023

3:31

Are Hectic Lefts The Final Finless Frontier?

William Aliotti is on the right-foot-forward fringes.

Mar 17, 2023

Watch: Luke + Eddie

A mostly unknown, on-duty lifeguard won the most prestigious big-wave event in history. How Luke…

Mar 17, 2023

7:10

A Pipe Master, Ryan Burch, And Some Pickle Forks On The Eastern Seaboard

This one ticks a lot of boxes

Mar 16, 2023

Brazil Has A Talent Problem

And three other things we learned from the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.

Mar 16, 2023

2:05

Mick Fanning On A Unicorn, Bags Of Dicks, And A Shocking Script Read By Surfing’s Biggest Stars

Vaughan Blakey and Nick Pollet on their outrageous film, 'The Greatest Surf Movie In The…

Mar 15, 2023

Italo Ferreira Caught 63 Waves In An Hour

And other stats from our Stab in the Dark production.

Mar 15, 2023

3:41

Can A Freesurfer Go The Other Way? A Dakoda Walters Case Study

The 57-kilo Aussie has taken a Stab High approach to trad contest surfing.

Mar 15, 2023

Caity Simmers And João Chianca Fulfill Respective Prophecies Under Gaze Of Portuguese President

A very good day of competitive surfing.

Mar 14, 2023

Kelly And Steph Are In Trouble

What's a GOAT gotta do to make the cut around here?

Mar 14, 2023

15:28

“I Used To Only Surf Here With One Guy…His Name’s Henry, And He’s A Seal”

A contemplation on the frigid desolation of Iceland.

Mar 14, 2023

World #1 Carissa Moore Vanquished By Front Pad Toting Wildcard, Lucky Few Get Supertubed

‘Go hard or go home, innit’ 

Mar 13, 2023

Hungover Hold-Downs, Patent Feuds, And One-In-A-Million Malfunctions Involving 11x World Champs: The Story Of Surfing’s Inflatable Vests

These things changed the game.

Mar 13, 2023
Advertisement