STORY BY – ANGELICA XIDIAS
MEET THE CENTRAL COAST LOCAL TAKING THE SURFING WORLD BY STORM
Those who keep a close eye on the Australian surfing scene will likely be familiar with the name Hughie Vaughan. Born and raised on the New South Wales Central Coast, 19 year old Vaughan has spent the last three years cementing himself as one of professional surfing’s standout new talents. But ask him what he thinks of that status and you’ll quickly realise just how unfazed he is by his newfound fame. For the young athlete, it’s all about enjoying the ride.
After earning Stab Magazine’s 2023 Junior of the Year title, Vaughan claimed back-to-back WSL Pro Junior wins in 2024 and 2025, before adding another victory to his name at Stab High Japan 2025. Now, he’s joined the Swatch Proteam, appearing alongside talents like Noah Beschen and Coco Hu Blu.
“I’ve said this heaps, but I just want to have fun. I feel like when I’m having the most fun, I’m performing the best.”
This string of achievements hasn’t gone to Vaughan’s head; it only fuels his ability to chase what brings him the most joy: surfing. “It’s what I love doing,” Vaughan tells GQ over a video call from his home on the Central Coast, having only just returned from a surf trip in the Philippines. “I don’t really call it work. It is my job, but it’s more about just having fun. And if I’m having fun, I’m doing what I have to do.”
Here, GQ quizzes the young surfer on everything worth knowing. So scroll on and familiarise yourself with Hughie Vaughan, a name you’re sure to be seeing much more of.
GQ: You’re only 19, but you’ve been surfing for quite some time. How’d you first get into it?
Hughie Vaughan: “I got started in surfing because my dad was a lifeguard and we were always around the beach, and because I have three older brothers, Joel, Zach and Curtis. They all surf. I mostly just followed in their footsteps.”
“Zach and Curtis are busy with work, but surf as much as they can. Joel, he’s on the [World Surf League] Championship Tour, and he’s going pretty big right now. It’s pretty cool to see where he’s going and easy to look up to someone who’s just your older brother.”
GQ: It must be nice to share such similar goals with your brother. Do you have the same target?
HV: “Yeah, it’s pretty easy to just think ‘I’m going to do exactly what my brother’s doing because he did it so well.’ But at the same time, I want to do it my own way. For me, the future would be free surfing for the next couple years. I wouldn’t call myself a free surfer, but I would say that I’m surfing and making edits, movies, and being around more for my sponsors. Just getting better as a surfer. Then, by the time I’m Joel’s age, maybe 21 or 22, I’d probably go for the Championship Tour. The end goal is definitely being on the Championship Tour with my brother, and possibly winning world titles.”
GQ: What has your competitive surfing experience been like so far?
HV: “When I was younger, that’s all I did. It was just comp, comp, comp. Right now, it’s pretty good to step away from competition. Not fully, just a little bit. So then, when I’m trying to go for the Championship Tour, I’ve got that fire in my belly. I’ve had a little bit of time off, just doing stuff for myself and surfing good waves and getting better. Hopefully I’ll be ready by then, I’ll be fired up.”
GQ: The edits that you’re shooting at the moment, are they your current focus?
HV: “I don’t have too many crazy clips. So it’s more about going and seeing what I can get, and trying to start something. But it all really originates from surf movies. I never really watched them when I was younger, but I’m really into them right now. I just want to surf good waves, big barrels, do big airs, even try stuff that no one’s really doing. I think that’s a lot harder, but I have the time to try new things and see what can be done in the ocean. It’s pretty fun.”
GQ: It sounds like a costly undertaking. How do you fund these projects?
HV: “I have a lot of sponsors backing me, they love what I do. So I’ve got a lot of people that are behind me. It’s a bit easier when it’s like that. I never really thought that I’d have that many sponsors, and then the calibre of the sponsor itself and how many great people they have on board, it’s crazy.”
GQ: One of the brands currently backing you is Swatch. How did that partnership come about?
HV: “I was over in Waco, Texas, at the Swatch Nines event. I did one air that kind of broke the internet—some people say—then it skyrocketed from there. It’s pretty exciting. I think there’s going to be another Swatch Nines. Me, Noah [Beschen] and Coco [Ho Blu] are going to be pretty in on picking the people who are going to be coming to that. Then there’s the snowboarding Swatch Nines. I might go to that one in Japan. That’ll be sick to see because I’ve never been to the snow. Everyone at Swatch is pretty cool and chill, so I think this partnership is going to be pretty sick.”
GQ: You’ve joined a lineup of world-class athletes representing the brand. Are there any names that have inspired your journey?
HV: I’ve always looked up to Mikey Wright, and I’m doing trips with him now. So that feels pretty crazy. He’s one of the best surfers in the world, so it’s pretty sick to just surf with him and learn what he’s doing. We kind of bank off each other.
GQ: Are there any particular lessons that you’ve learned from surfing alongside him?
HV: “He goes really hard, and really big. He does big airs, and goes and gets crazy barrels. If I’ve learned anything from him, it’s been foot to the floor—try and prove yourself. It’s all it really is, to prove yourself and go as big as you can, and just have fun.”
GQ: You mentioned the goal of surfing better and bigger waves, is that something that you’re doing solo, or do you have mentors that you’re working with?
HV: “There was definitely a lot of guidance when I was younger, mostly from my dad. Then I had a little bit of guidance from Surfing Australia, Clancy Dawson was my coach. I wouldn’t really say I have a coach, but if I did, it’d be my dad. I’m definitely still learning so many things—while I’m travelling, looking at clips, seeing what I’ve done wrong. It’s pretty fun just critiquing yourself.”
GQ: The media has begun labelling you as a prodigy. How do you handle that kind of attention at such a young age?
HV: “It definitely pops into my head, but I never really try to think about it too much. I try and keep myself pretty level-headed. I think age is just a number. I just want to surf the best I possibly can. There’s not really much competition when you’re trying to be the best surfer you can be.”
GQ: Has surfing always been the goal? Was there ever a backup plan?
HV: “Surfing’s always been the goal. I remember in school, I had a couple of teachers that asked me what my backup plan was. I always thought, ‘Why would you even need a backup plan if you have one goal and you’re just going to put everything towards it?’ I’ve always had one goal, being a professional surfer. It’s probably going to be that for a while, forever maybe.”
GQ: You’ve been surfing since before you could walk. How do you balance being a teenager with being a professional athlete?
HV: “I’ve always wanted to be a professional surfer and it’s come pretty quickly for me. I get to travel with some of my good friends, and I’m always having fun. It doesn’t really feel like I’m missing out on too much.”
GQ: Does pursuing surfing as a career ever make it feel like hard work? Does it take away from the enjoyment of it?
HV: “I don’t feel like it’s hard work. You definitely have to work pretty hard to stay a good surfer, but it’s what I love doing. I don’t really call it work. It is my job, but it’s more about just having fun. And if I’m having fun, I’m doing what I have to do.”
GQ: How do you find the industry evolving, and what does the next generation of surfing look like?
HV: “This next generation is pretty sick. A lot of people are doing some crazy airs, and there’s a lot of good surfers coming up. It’s going to be pretty hard to stay at the top. I just like to keep myself pretty level-headed. I’ve said this heaps, but mostly I just want to have fun. I feel like when I’m having the most fun, I’m performing the best.”
GQ: What are your thoughts on the role of social media in professional surfing?
HV: “It’s a lot easier to get people to [notice] you with social media, to get out there. But, at the same time, I think that it’s more beneficial to meet a lot of surfers and show them that you’re a good person and you surf well in person, instead of just online. [But] I think social media is a pretty big part of surfing for teenagers right now.”
GQ: Have there been any moments in your career thus far that have made you want to walk away from surfing? Any big wipeouts that have made you think differently about the sport?
HV: “There’s never been a time when I thought I’d quit, but there’ve been some wipeouts that have been pretty big. I feel like that’s where you grow in surfing, especially surfing bigger waves. If you come off and you have a big hold down, I think that’s a test for how good you can hold your breath. I feel like that’s a pretty big part of surfing right now—how much you can go through and still be a good surfer.”
GQ: How do you manage fear while surfing?
HV: “Fear is pretty big in surfing. I’m not a big wave surfer, I’m not trying to go out there and surf a 50-foot wave. But there are waves in Australia that are pretty big. I think fear is pretty good because it keeps you honest. The way I deal with fear is to try and act like I don’t have any fear, [even though] it’s still there. I feel like if you act like you don’t have fear, it gets it out of your head. But it’s always there. It keeps you honest, for sure.”
GQ: What has surfing taught you that school never could?
HV: “I feel like travelling makes you grow up a little bit faster. Just being out in the world, in different countries, with different people. You can’t teach that. It’s something that I’ve really liked [about] travelling, and it’s only just starting. So I’m very grateful for what I’ve been able to do.
GQ: When you look ahead, where do you see yourself in five years?
HV: “I don’t even know, five years is pretty far away. I’d still be surfing, for sure. I don’t think I’d leave surfing and, in five years, I’d probably try and be on the Championship Tour. I’d still be doing what I’m doing right now, and just having a lot of fun.”
GQ: Having come from a family of surfers, everyone must be pretty proud of how much you’ve achieved at just 19?
HV: “My family have always taught me to be humble. So I don’t try to get too ahead of myself, and I don’t try to have a big head or talk too much about how good I’m surfing. I think they definitely would be [proud], but they don’t really say it too much.”