“We didn’t set out to turn the girls into surfing champions, it just happened," said Marcus Huppatz, father of three emerging talented surfing daughters Mia (17), Isla (14), and Anna (12).
The Huppatz sisters have been on an absolute tear in 2022.

So far, Isla has taken out the Occy Groms under 16s, placed second in the Skull Candy, and won the MP Classic Invitational Women’s contest. Isla now finds herself on top of the new Australian Junior rankings gaining automatic qualification for the Australian Junior titles in November and a crack at a World Junior title in 2023. 

And while Isla was dominating the MP, at the same time oldest sister Mia reached the 1/4 finals of the 3-star WQS open women’s event at Nias, Sumatra Indonesia to place fifth overall, her best result to date on the International women’s world qualifying series.

And not to be left out of the limelight, youngest sister Anna was showing she was no slouch in the wake of her older sister’s success by being runner-up at the Occys under 12s girls. 

"We wanted to surf together, and the competitions have brought us closer together," Marcus said.

The Huppatz Family made the move up from Jan Juc, Torquay, Victoria to the Gold Coast last year.

"Naturally, the girls love it up here, although it has been a huge emotional wrench leaving family and friends behind, but they have adjusted well to living and surfing on the Gold Coast," said their Dad.

In the pioneering days of women’s surfing there was only a handful of recognisable women surfers such as the Calhoun’s: Mother Marg and daughters Candy and Robin from California. The three glamorous women showed they could hold their own in Hawaii at the Makaha International Championships in the late 50s and 60s with impressive performances.

Following up were three Hawaiian Sunn sisters from Makaha: Martha, Anella, and Rell. The latter would be recognized as a Queen of Hawaiian surfing and a trailblazer for women's professional surfing in the seventies. 

Gold Coast has had history of surfing sisters from Coolangatta such as the Charlton sisters in the 60’s: Carol, Robyn, Denise, and Chrissy. As an interesting piece of trivia, their Dad John Charlton established the first surfboard hire and learn to surf school at the Kirra Surf Club.

The Charlton surfers grew up surfing with Gold Coast’s very first World Champion (1964) Phyliss O'Donnell who had moved from Freshwater Beach, Manly Sydney to Banora Point but surfed mainly on the Coolangatta pointbreaks.

In the modern era, eight times World champion Stephanie Gilmore hails from a surfing family including two sisters, while the Doyle and Styman-Lane twins and the instafamous Coffey sisters are definitely making waves. 

The Huppatz sisters are fully motivated by surfing together, pushing their natural abilities to improve and the potential to aim for a life of professional surfing chasing World Tour ambitions.
Time will tell but there is no mistaking their spirit to compete, having fun with their family and friends enjoying their surfing that could one day lead them to be potential World Champions.
 

READ ON FOR OUR Q+A WITH ALL THREE SISTERS

Mia | Date of birth – 09/05/2005

Q. How long have you been surfing?
A. I have been surfing for 15 years.

Q. How did you start and where?
A. I started surfing when I was two years old at a beach called Cozy Corner with my dad on the back of the board teaching me how to stand up and love the ocean.

Q. What has been your inspiration to surf?
A. My inspiration to surf has been the love for the ocean and everything it has to offer as well as knowing I can travel to all these different places and surf new waves and explore a new
wave and type of surfing as every beach ocean and wave has something new and different about it which I find really cool.

Q. How has the transition been coming from Jan Juc to Gold Coast?
A. There’s no doubt that the move from Jan Juc to the Gold Coast has brought many new challenges, but it’s been an amazing experience and Burleigh boardriders in particular has taken us under their wing and treated us like family which has been incredible.

Q. Who motivates you?
A. The people that motivate me are the younger girls at Burleigh boardriders, because they are all incredible surfers already at such an early age and I can’t wait to see what they can all achieve in a few years and I hope that I can show them that they can do whatever they want and chase their dreams.

Q. Who are your favourite female surfers and why?
A. Carissa Moore because she’s so strong and powerful. Steph Gilmore because she’s super beautiful to watch.

Q. How was the WQS events at Krui and Nias did you find it to your liking?
A. I loved the QS events travelling with your friends and exploring new places and the waves were pumping throughout the entire trip, which is just what you want, I don’t think the trip and the waves could have been any better.

Q. Well done for a ¼ final finish at Nias, is that your best result on the QS and how did it feel?
A. I got fifth at Nias which is my highest result in a QS, and it felt good I know I put together a few good heats and got some nice barrels which is always a bonus, I learnt so much throughout the comp and travelling and I hope to be able to go back again and hopefully improve on the result next time.

Q. What are your goals and ambitions for the future?
A. I would love to be able to have a career in surfing, travelling the world surfing new waves and exploring everything our world has to offer in and out of the surf.

Q. Other interests outside of surfing including other sports?
A. I like cooking and tasting new food.

Q. What year school are you in?
A. I’m currently in year 11.

Q. What music do u like listening to?
A. I listen to a lot of different music depending on how I’m feeling the music changes.

Q. Favorite surf breaks?
A. Cloud break, Swimming pools, Bells beach, Kirra.

Q. Biggest wave you have surfed?
A. The biggest waves I’ve surfed I’d say is 10-foot Bells, but everyone measures wave heights differently so it’s a bit hard to say.

Q. Worst wipeout or injury?
A. I remember taking off on a wave one time and I was late, and I jump up to my feet and look down and just see a rock shelf.

Q. What is it like being in the Burleigh Boardriders?
A. Burleigh Boardriders has been an incredible club to join they instantly

Q. Do you train? 
A. Yes, I keep active, and I practice Wave Ki.

Q. Who is your coach?
A. My coach is Brad Gerlach who is the founder of Wave Ki. He has taught me so much in and out of the water and I know I wouldn’t be the surfer or person I am today without the incredible support I have from him and his family.

Q. Sponsors?
A. My sponsors are Roxy, Boost Mobile, Chilli surfboards and Smith optics.

Q. What is it like having sisters that surf?
A. Having sisters that surf is something that has definitely helped me improve on my surfing ability because I can tell you that no one likes it when their younger siblings start surfing better than them so that has definitely kept pushing me to improving my ability and staying connected with the sport.

Q. Favourite saying to sum up life?
A. Go hard or go home. From my first boardriders club TBC (Torquay boardriders club).

Q. Other comments you would like to make on anything you choose and would like to see happen?
A The surfing culture is a great environment and I hope more and more people pick up surfing because it’s a sport that brings so many emotions from joy to big adrenaline rushes and I think everyone should at least try it.

Q. Surfboard equipment, size, and design.
A.  I ride Chilli surfboards; my favourites are the ‘shortie’ and ‘A2’ models. The board I’ve had my best results on in competition is a secondhand board I got from Chilli that was originally one of Kobi Clements’s boards, it’s 5’6 x 17 5/16 x 2 3/16 and it’s been creased and fixed about 3 times.

Isla | Date of birth – 4/9/2007

Q. How long have you been surfing?
A. Around 6 years

Q. How did you start, what age were you and where?
A.  I started surfing when I was nine because my whole family surfed, and we were always around the water. I didn’t like fibreglass boards at the start so I got a little foamy without fins and would just play around on it in the shore. Eventually I got on Dads’ old boards and started to really love surfing. Because I skated a lot before that I seemed to pick it up pretty quickly.

Q. What has been your inspiration to surf?
A.  Mostly my older sister and dad

Q. How has the transition been coming from Jan Juc to Gold Coast?
A. it was definitely a big change which was hard at times, but we are settling in now and love Burleigh.

Q Who motivates you?
A.  Mostly my older sister as she is always charging.

Q. Who are your favourite female surfers and why? 
A. Carissa Moore as she is pushing the limits

Q. You are having a great year making State selection in the Qld State Junior titles, winning MP Women’s Classic and now Occy Groms, what do you put your success down to?
A. I just love surfing and in heats I try to get on the two best waves and surf them as best I can.

Q. What are your goals and ambitions for the future? 
A.  I definitely want to make the world tour and win a world title

Q. Other interests outside of surfing including other sports.
A. I like to skate, play footy (AFL) and watch the Richmond Tigers play

Q. What High school year are you in?
A. Year 9

Q. What music do u like to listen to?
A. Whatever is on the radio which is strictly run by Mia

Q. Favourite surf breaks.
A Winki Pop, Bells, and Burleigh

Q Favourite surfing move.
A Larry (laybacks) or airs

Q. Biggest wave you have surfed. 
A 8ft Winki Pop, I was so scared, but Mia was charging which pushed me to paddle out too.

Q. Worst wipeout or injury.
A. probably when a wave washed me off Snapper Rocks and I sort of got grated along them which hurt. I’m a bit more careful when I jump off now.

Q. What is it like being in the Burleigh Boardriders? 
A.  They are the best! They’ve given us all some really cool opportunities and are always looking out for us. There’s an excellent group of young surfers at the club and Dvex (Kyle Robinson) the president really encourages us and that’s awesome.

Q. Do you train? 
A. Yes, I do strength and condition training at the gym with “the surf pentagon”

Q. Who is your coach?
A. I worked with coaches at Surfing Victoria, Cahill, and Robbo. When we got up here, I joined the Surfing Queensland Academy and Richo coached us. I have been lucky enough to go to a few HPC camps. I also have done Wave Ki with Brad Gerlach.

Q. Sponsors.
A Rip Curl, Boost mobile, Chilli surfboards, and Sunbutter skin care

Q. What is it like having sisters that surf. 
A It is the best!

Q. Favourite saying to sum up life.
A.  My sisters took my two favorited sayings……

Q. Surfboard equipment, size, and design
A. I ride Chilli surfboards, my favourite board at the moment is the A2 Twin tech epoxy model with a swallow tail, 4’11 by 16 5/8 by 2 and it’s 17 litres.

Anna | Date of birth: 31/12/2009

Q. How long have you been surfing?
A. 4 years

Q. How did you start, what age were you and where? 
A. We were always at the beach and eventually I just started surfing on one of Dads old boards when I was about 7 or 8.

Q. What has been your inspiration to surf?
A.  My sisters and dad. I watched my sisters surf a lot and wanted to try it.

Q. How has the transition been coming from Jan Juc to Gold Coast? 
A. It was hard at the start, but it is getting better now I have a good group of friends that also surf.

Q. Who motivates you? 
A. My Dad and Sisters. If they’re all going surfing, I want to go with them.

Q. Who are your favourite female surfers and why?
A.  Carissa Moore because she is kind and surfs amazing, she also was the first female to do an air rev in a competition.

Q. Well done for runner-up at Occy groms is that your best result to date? When did you start competing? 
A. Thank you, yes it was my best result this year. I started competing in Torquay boardriders when I was about 10 years old then started competing in some other comps after that.

Q. What are your goals and ambitions for the future? 
A. I would love to be a pro surfer and travel the world surfing

Q. Other interests outside of surfing including other sports. A. I love to skate with Isla and a good friend Teddy Robertson

Q. What year school year are you in?
A. I’m in year 7

Q. What music do u like to listen too? 
A. Any music

Q. Favourite surf breaks?
A. Bells Beach, Winki Pop, and Snapper

Q. Favourite surfing move?
A. My carve is my best turn but I like airs

Q. Biggest wave you have surfed? 
A. 6 feet Burleigh when Mia took me out, there was only 5 other people out and it was huge for me.
Q. Worst wipeout or injury. A. Burleigh on that big day, when the wave barrelled over me, and I got
smashed and hit the bottom
Q. What is it like being in the Burleigh Boardriders? A. It is good! I love competing against my sisters
and friends and just playing on the beach all day.
Q. Do you train? A. We do training with Dvex (Kyle Robinson) at Burleigh Boardriders most weeks and when I ride my Smoothstar skateboard I visualize that I’m on a wave.
Q. Who is your coach? A. I have done some coaching with surfing Victoria and when I moved up, I did the Surfing Queensland Academy and we got coached every month then went to the HPC for a three-day camp that was really fun.
Q. Sponsors. A. sunbutter skincare
Q. What is it like having sisters that surf and being the youngest sister?
A.  It is good being the youngest because when we all go surfing, I love watching them to get inspiration.
Q. Favourite saying to sum up life? A.  If in doubt, paddle out
Q. Boards/equipment? A. I ride Chilli surfboards; I ride Isla’s old boards or any that she lets me ride. My favourite one is 5’0 by 16 ¾ by 2 (18 litres)