Schoolmates hail Gold Coast surfing wildcard Isla Huppatz, 15
A promising Queensland teen surfer plans dreams of turning professional – but she plans to finish school first.
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Gold Coast teen surfing sensation Isla Huppatz was the queen of her class when she returned to school on Monday after her first big tournament win.
Isla, 15, rode a throne of schoolmates who hoisted her on to their shoulders at St Andrews Lutheran College at Tallebudgera following her maiden triumph on the World Surf League qualifying series.
The victory, in the Gold Coast Open at her home break of Burleigh Heads, was the biggest of her fledgling surfing career, which has seen her set the junior circuit alight.
She was awarded a wildcard into the event and overcame some of the top surfers from Australia and overseas to claim top spot.
Isla and her family, including talented surfing siblings Mia, 17, and Anna, 12, moved to the Gold Coast from Victoria’s Jan Juc about 18 months ago to help hone the girls’ competitive skills, joining top club Burleigh Boardriders.
“We surf together all the time and are very supportive of each other while also trying to push each other,” Isla said of her sisters.
“The surf up here is a bit different from Bells Beach, but the water’s also a lot warmer, so we tend to surf a bit more in winter.
“Burleigh Boardriders is a really nice community.”
Isla plans to return home to Victoria next month to compete in an event at the Urbnsurf wave park at Tullamarine and also hopes to take part in the world junior championships later in the year.
“I plan to finish school, but turning professional one day is the biggest goal of my life,” she said.
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Originally published as Schoolmates hail Gold Coast surfing wildcard Isla Huppatz, 15
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