A FASCINATING collaboration aims to not only turn the tide on surfing's so-called Brazilian storm but to also give Australia a real chance of gold in a discipline set to be introduced to Olympic competition in Tokyo in 2020.

Australia's elite surf and skateboarding coaches met on Monday at Surfing Australia's Hurley High Performance Centre at Cabarita on the NSW far north coast to exchange ideas and skill sets.

The two sports have always been close. Surfing's gold-plated star Kelly Slater came from a skating background in wave-starved Florida and our own Coolum-raised Julian Wilson also brought to the sport skills honed on four wheels.

Late last year the high performance centre opened a skate facility where athletes can perfect aerial moves on dry land that are beginning to dominate surfing and which have given the Brazilians the edge.

The past two World Surfing League champions have been Brazilians. Adriano De Souza is the current champ, succeeding Gabriel Medina the 2014 winner.

Australian Skateboarding Federation head Guy Gibbons said the Australian Sports Commission had urged they explore collaboration and it was quickly proving a real benefit.

Nine Surfing Australia coaches were put through their level two skateboard coaching accreditation by former skate world champion Renton Millar, Donny Fraser who runs skate clinics across Australia and Chad Ford who was involved in last month's Bowlzilla in Chile where the government has built a $9 million, on-beach permanent facility.

"Surfing Australia's turnaround from 2009 backyard trundlers to where they now are has made them the poster boy for the Australian Sports Commission,'' he said.

Surfing Australia has been exploring blending skill sets across a range of sports including diving, gymnastics and dancing because they share similar biomechanics.

Noosa surf coach and former professional Dean Brady visited the centre last week and said the reaching out to other sports was an exciting development.

He said the cross training would improve body awareness, strength and conditioning.