Jen Tyler catches up with ‘Up & Coming’ Hugo and Toby Wigglesworth! With a love for wingfoiling and kiteboarding, a bit of friendly sibling competition, and the support of FLYSURFER and Armstrong Foils, they’re making their mark in the world of watersports. In this interview, they share their journey, favourite spots, and what’s next for them on the global stage - check it out!

Hi Hugo and Toby, it’s great to have you here! Can you tell us a little about your home spots, family life, and what it was like growing up in New Zealand? 

We grew up in Mission Bay, Auckland, where we’re lucky to have plenty of beaches close by. Our go-to spots for winging or kiting are Kohimarama Beach and Glendowie Sandspit. Water sports have always been a big part of our family—everyone’s into it, from water skiing and windsurfing to surfing, kiting, sailing, and now winging. Growing up in New Zealand has given us access to some of the best sailing conditions in the world, with everything from flat water to waves just a short drive away.

You both have made quite an impression on the WOO Worlds 2024 scoreboard in both kiteboarding and windsurfing! When did you both start wingsurfing and who initially got you into the sport?  

Hugo: I started wingsurfing at the end of 2019, just before the sport really took off. I kept seeing more and more videos on social media, and they looked so exciting that I had to try it for myself. It was the increasing popularity of winging that caught my attention. Toby got interested a bit later and learned to wingfoil in 2021, and now it’s something we both enjoy a lot!

What was it like learning to wingsurf? Did you find it challenging initially, or did it feel natural? 

Since both of us had already learned to kitefoil, we had the foil skills down, so we just needed to focus on mastering the wing handling. Wings are pretty straightforward to get the hang of, so the learning process felt natural and came quickly for us.

As brothers, are you competitive with each other when it comes to watersports? 

Absolutely! It’s been a great way to challenge each other and keep pushing ourselves in the different disciplines.

Do you wingsurf together mostly, or do you prefer riding separately? 

We usually don’t wing together unless it’s for a competition or when we’re filming videos, but whenever we do ride together, it definitely motivates us to push harder.

Has being brothers helped you push each other to improve, or is it more about having fun? 

In the early days, it was all about having fun, but as we’ve gotten older, we’ve started pushing each other more to keep improving.

Hugo, how did it feel when you won the WOO World 2024 max distance on a wing? 

It felt amazing. Pushing myself to go as fast as possible for a full hour without stopping was a real challenge, so I’m really glad it paid off in the end.⬤

What’s your go-to wingsurfing setup, and why do you love most about it? 

Our go-to wingsurfing setup is the Armstrong 58L Wing FG board with the MA800, 180 SPEED, 60 fuselage, and 865 performance mast. Toby uses a 4.0m XPS wing, while I go with a 4.0m RH TAO wing. We love this setup because it offers great speed, can handle tight turns, and has a solid pop for jumping—everything we need for an exciting session.

How long has FLYSURFER sponsored you, and how has their support helped your journey? 

Hugo: I’ve been a team rider for FLYSURFER for three years now, and their support has been invaluable in helping me progress across all disciplines. They’ve also opened the door to some incredible experiences that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’m excited to keep building on our partnership in the future!

What’s the best wingsurfing team trip you’ve ever been on together? 

We had the opportunity to showcase winging at the Christchurch NZ Sail GP event. It was an incredible experience to showcase the sport to such a large crowd and share the excitement of winging with so many people.

Are there any specific spots in New Zealand that you consider your “home break” or favourite location? 

Ngunguru Bar is about a three-hour drive north of Auckland, and it’s our favourite spot for wings. When the conditions are right, it has long, rolling left-handers that are perfect for a great winging session.

What’s one thing you love about wingsurfing in New Zealand that other places don’t offer? 

It’s a great spot because it’s uncrowded! On any windy day, you might find yourself in a perfect spot with no one else around. Plus, there’s a huge variety of conditions to choose from, which makes every session feel unique and exciting.

Do you see a future for yourself in wingsurfing? Would you like to enter the GWA Wingfoil World Tour? 

Toby: Competing on a world stage would be incredible. A lot of the competitions are in places that are pretty expensive to get to from New Zealand, but it’s definitely a goal I have for the future.

Hugo: Right now, I’m aiming to compete in future Big Air kiting competitions. But who knows, I might try my hand at a wing competition down the line!

Thanks, boys! Looking forward to seeing what the next chapter brings!

 

By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.

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