Two-time world surfing women's champion Tyler Wright has turned to ballet as she looks for ways to stay in front of the pack this season.
The 23-year-old says eight weeks out of the water has helped her recover from the knee injury she powered through to defend her title in December.
Ahead of next month's World Surf League opener on the Gold Coast, Wright revealed dance studio sessions had helped fine-tune her technique.
"Dancers are athletes, they're as gnarly as you get,"' Wright told AAP.
"Surfing isn't an up and down sport; you move in every direction and having your movements analysed (by a ballet dancer) helps show how you can better use your whole body."
Wright's bravery was lauded when she strapped and braced her knee, ignoring the pain to defend her WSL crown last season.
But she says her fling with ballet shows a more thoughtful side to her that people might underestimate.
"I'm more analytical and calculated than people think on the work side of life," the Culburra Beach product said.
"I love details, I'm fascinated by them, they've always held my attention and we (Wright and coach Glenn Hall) spend hours on it."
Wright has been on the tour since 2011 and, with Kelly Slater's artificial Surf Ranch added to the WSL schedule and surfing part of the 2020 Olympics, is excited by the direction the sport is heading.
"It's in a full growing stage, it's fascinating and everything's changing but the integrity of it all is still there," she told AAP.
"It's clear that I'm a big fan and if people want to bring up (negative) points they better be ready for me to counter them.
"(The Olympics) gives everyone a platform to fall in love with the ocean, to fall in love with surfing and I just think surfing is such a good thing for people."
Wright and brother Owen, who won last year's Quiksilver Pro, will be drawcards at next month's event alongside defending Roxy Pro champion and six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore.
But Wright won't be placing extra pressure on herself as hype builds around a possible WSL three-peat.
"I've got a great base to work off now, from all that I've done," she said.
"I floundered for way too many years, but now I've got my own little system, everything is settled and I know where I'm going and what the goal is."
