Wright suffered a serious head injury while free-surfing at the legendary reef break before the 2015 World Tour event there.

So bad was Wright's condition he missed the 2016 season to recover before returning with a win in the season-opening event at Snapper Rocks in 2017.

On Wednesday, the helmet-wearing Wright showed he can still take on dangerous waves by winning the Tahiti Pro at the infamous Teahupo'o break.

A perfect 10 in the quarter-finals and then a dominant display to beat defending world champion Gabriel Medina secured Wright his first victory in Tahiti from three finals appearances and lifted him into the top 10 of the rankings.

Now the 29-year-old is setting his sights on claiming a maiden win at the season-ending Pipe Masters.

"I really want to win Pipe," Wright told AAP.

"That's something that's been a thorn in my side for a couple of years now and I really, really want to feel that level of comfort that I felt here (Tahiti) at Pipe again and get that win there."

Wright returned to Pipeline in 2017 and competed there again last year but has been bounced out in the second round the past two years.

His best display at the event was a quarter-final loss to France's Jeremy Flores in his rookie season on tour in 2010.

Australian Associated Press