Caitlin
Simmers
United States
·
Surfing
Date of birth | 26 October 2005 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Oceanside, California |
Age | 20 |
Nationality | United States |
Disciplines | Surfing Competition |
Caitlin Simmers grew up in Oceanside, California, and quickly found her feet surfing the waves inside the nearby harbour with her parents and younger brother, Timo.
“All my friends live here, the waves are really consistent and there's a cool skatepark so I have everything I need,” Caitlin says of her hometown. “I just try to have fun, surf whenever I want and take it one day at a time, whether it’s a contest or not.”
Dominating the junior ranks
Caitlin's laid-back approach has been working wonders so far. She won the ISA Under-16 Girls World Junior Championship in 2018, then moved on to bigger waves and bigger contests, securing wins on the WSL Pro Junior Series in 2019 and 2020.
In 2021, Caitlin showcased her potential on the world stage when she won the prestigious US Open of Surfing at just 15 years of age, making her the second-youngest champion in the storied history of the event.
This result saw her qualify for the WSL Championship Tour after finishing the year ranked fourth on the WSL Challenger Series. However, she declined her spot to work on her craft a little longer, in a move not seen since a teenage Taj Burrow did the same in 1997.
Caitlin started her 2022 Challenger Series campaign in the best possible fashion, taking out the Boost Mobile Pro Gold Coast, in pumping waves at Snapper Rocks. She kept the results coming until the end of the year, and this time accepted her place on the Championship Tour.
Making her mark at the highest level
It took only three events for Caitlin to taste success at elite level in 2023, winning the Meo Pro Portugal in huge, barreling waves to announce her arrival on the world surfing stage. To celebrate, Caitlin released her movie Toasted to rave reviews.
Before the season was through Caitlin climbed onto the podium three more times, to celebrate third place at the Surf Ranch Pro, a runner-up finish at the Tahiti Pro, and a win at the Rio Pro. Caitlin wrapped up the year with fourth place finish at the WSL Finals, comfortably securing the Rookie Of The Year trophy in the process.
In 2023, Caitlin opened her second season on the CT in stunning fashion, her win at the Pipe Pro in incredible conditions, laying down a marker for the rest of the field on a truly groundbreaking day for women's surfing in waves of consequence. Caitlin then added victories at the long-running Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and Brazil's raucous Rio Pro to finish on top of the 2024 WSL Championship Tour rankings, earning her place in the Title Match at the WSL Finals, held at Lower Trestles in September.
A first world title
Competing in front of a rapturous hometown crowd, only 20 minutes from Oceanside, Caitlin held her nerve. She resisted the challenge of the reigning champion, Caroline Marks, to claim her maiden title. At 18 years, 10 months and 12 days, she overtook five-time world champion Carissa Moore to become professional surfing's youngest-ever world champion.
While Caitlin is focused on competing and even represented the Stars and Stripes for the first time at the 2024 Games, she is a surfer to her core who loves nothing more than chasing tubes around the world.
She prides herself on releasing incredible video parts and will be the face of female surfing's next generation of world beaters for as long as she chooses. Stay tuned.
Caitlin Simmers on Pipeline
© Brent Bielmann
Simmers celebrates in style
© World Surf League/Red Bull Content Pool
Posing with her world championship title
© Jimmy Wilson/Red Bull Content Pool
Simmers rides the waves in Teahupo'o
© Domenic Mosqueira/Red Bull Content Pool