"I guess you could say I have a whole new outlook on things," said Ballard, Hawai'i's top-ranked female surfer. "There's been some changes in my life, and I've made it a point to take care of myself."

As a result, Ballard has been taking care of business on the 2004 women's World Championship Tour. She is currently ranked No. 2 in the world entering the upcoming Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Kaua'i's Andy Irons has already clinched the men's 2004 championship, but the women's title is still up for grabs.

Ballard, 33, will get two chances in Hawai'i's waves to chase down what could be her first world championship.

The Roxy Pro is scheduled to begin this weekend at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach. The season finale, the Billabong Pro Maui, is scheduled to run Dec. 8 to 20 at Honolua Bay, Maui.

"There's two events left, but it seems like there's so much of the race left to go," said Ballard, who was raised on Kaua'i but now resides on O'ahu's North Shore. "I feel like I've positioned myself exactly where I want to be. I have every opportunity to win a world title, and I'm right here at home."

Ballard has been at home for the past month, practicing in both big waves and small waves. In the recent past, she had built a reputation as one of the best female big-wave riders in the world.

"I had so much motivation in pushing the limits of women's surfing, I think I forgot about the rest of it," she said. "I finally realized that you have to focus on every aspect of surfing if you want to be a world champion."

Ballard

"In a way, it gave me more time for myself," she said. "I did a lot more training, both physical and mental. I go to aerobics class; I've been reading a lot of motivational books. Basically, I'm just doing a lot of things to help myself, which I don't think I was doing in the past."

But it would be wrong to call Ballard selfish.

Since 2001, she has been running the Rochelle Ballard Surf Camps, a series of events for young female surfers. The camps are actual camps — not contests — and Ballard teaches the girls surfing skills during the day and bunks beside them at night.

"I love working with the kids," Ballard said. "That's something that will always be important to me, and I want to keep doing the camps as long as there's support for it."

She started the camp in Hawai'i, and it became such a success that surf company O'Neill agreed to sponsor more camps in California and the East Coast. Ballard said she plans to run at least three camps in 2005.

For now, she is focused solely on the elusive world title.

"As I've gotten older, I've realized that it takes me a while to learn things," Ballard said. "I think the thing I appreciate more than ever now is learning to appreciate every moment of life. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm in a good place right now and I plan on enjoying it, no matter what happens."

Association of Surfing Professionals
2004 Women's World Championship Tour

Standings through 5 of 7 events

1, Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) 4,512
2, Rochelle Ballard (Hawai'i) 4,032
3, Jacqueline Silva (Brazil) 3,216
4, Maria Tita Tavares (Brazil) 3,192
5, Chelsea Georgeson (Australia) 3,168
6 (tie), Layne Beachley (Australia) 2,976
6 (tie), Laurina McGrath (Australia) 2,976
8, Keala Kennelly (Hawai'i) 2,796
9, Megan Abubo (Hawai'i) 2,460
10, Trudy Todd (Australia) 2,184
Also
15, Melanie Bartels (Hawai'i) 1,800