TYLER WRIGHT

COAST TO COAST

World champion surfer Tyler Wright has clocked up some serious miles in the search for the perfect break.

The two-time World Surf League winner spent her childhood in the back of the family camper van as her father Rob — a passionate surfer himself — rolled up and down the NSW south coast with five sunkissed kids in tow.

“We used to go camping all the time, travelling up and down the coast. My father was a fanatic surfer,” she says.

A child prodigy — she became the youngest surfer to win a championship tour event at the age of 14 — Wright was lucky enough to score a sponsorship deal with Ford soon after getting her driver’s licence.

She says getting her licence opened the door to a new world.

“It was a massive part of growing up. Having that freedom to go and find waves whenever you wanted was pretty epic,” she says.

Wright says she’s a confident driver and pretty relaxed behind the wheel, although she hates people who have little regard for the safety of others on the road.

“I get really agitated when people drive recklessly because it’s just so easy for things to go wrong,” she says.

The 23-year-old has plenty of experience driving in all sorts of conditions around the globe, but often has trouble readjusting when she returns home.

“There’s definitely some crazy places overseas but I think the only place I don’t drive is Brazil because that’s just too crazy,” Wright says.

“When I go overseas it’s more natural for me because I’ve spent so much time there, especially America. Driving on the other side of the road is really easy. It’s coming back where I find it really hard and I’m constantly having minor freak-outs that I’m on the wrong side of the road.”

She spends most of her time behind the wheel on country roads, where she can kick back and listen to podcasts and playlists.

Wright now has a deal with Jeep and is driving a Wrangler, which has opened the door to venturing down deserted tracks in search of isolated breaks.

“I love having the freedom to drive on the beach and have an adventure and know the car is going to handle it – I think that’s sick,” she says. “You drive there along the dirt tracks, set up your car and have barbecues and put up umbrellas and the water is crystal clear and everyone is having a great time. Things like that I always love.

“The Wrangler can go literally anywhere I want to take it and it holds boards and holds people, so it’s great.”