Caitlin Simmers

American surfer

Caitlin Simmers

Personal information
Born|  (2005-10-26) October 26, 2005 (age 19)
California, U.S.[1]
Height| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Weight| 114 lb (52 kg)
Surfing career
Best year| 1st: 2024 - WSL World Champion
Sponsors| Red Bull Surfing, O'Neill, Captain Fin Co., Sun Bum, Surf Ride, Nixon
Major achievements|

* 2024 World Surf League Champion
* WSL Championship Tour event wins: 7
* 2023 WSL Rookie of the Year
* 1x US Open of Surfing champion (2021)

Surfing specifications
Stance| Regular (natural foot)
Shaper(s)| Chris Borst Designs

Caitlin Simmers (born October 26, 2005) is an American surfer from Oceanside, California, who has competed professionally since 2018. She qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games.

## Career

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Simmers qualified for the 2022 CT by finishing fourth in the 2021 Challenger Series.[2] Her first victory on the professional circuit was when she won the US Open of Surfing, the first event of the CS in 2021.[3][4]

In 2022 Simmers, who was 16-years old, decided to withdraw from the 2022 WSL Championship Tour to focus on developing her surfing and staying close to her family.[5] She returned to compete in the 2022 Challenger Series where she once again qualified for the 2023 WSL Championship Tour.[6] She won the first CS event in 2022, beating Molly Picklum in the grand final of the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro in Australia.[7]

### 2023 Season

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In 2023, Simmers made her debut in the world surfing elite. Her first major result was victory at MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal beating Courtney Conlogue in the grand final.[8] After the mid-season cut, Simmers remained in the top positions of the ranking. She won her second CT stage by defeating Tyler Wright in the VIVO Rio Pro event.[9] She was second in the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro, losing in the final to Caroline Marks. She finished the ranking in fifth place, qualifying for the Final Five of the WSL Finals 2023 in her first season in the CT.[10] For being the best rookie of the season in the final rankings, she won the 2023 Rookie of the Year award.[11] In the final five Simmers beat Molly Picklum in the first heat, but was defeated by Caroline Marks and finished fourth in the CT 2023 Final Ranking.[12]

### 2024 Season

[edit]

Simmers started the 2024 season by winning the Lexus Pipe Pro stage for the first time, beating Molly Picklum in the final. She also won the Bells Beach stage in Australia and won the VIVO Rio Pro stage for the second consecutive year.

Simmers competed in the Paris Olympic Games in August 2024, being defeated in the Round of 16.[13]

She finished the regular season in first place, competing in the 2024 WSL Finals directly in the title match. She faced the then 2023 World Champion Caroline Marks. Marks won the first Round, opening 1-0 in the title dispute, but Simmers won the next 2 Rounds and won the 2024 World Surfing title,[14] becoming the youngest woman in history to achieve the feat, at just 18 years old.[15]

## Personal life

[edit]

Simmers was born on October 26, 2005 in Oceanside, California, and grew up near the coast where she started surfing when she was still very young.[16] Parents, Ryan and Tracy Simmers, and brother, Timo, are all surfers, and were instrumental in encouraging Caitlin in the sport. Caitlin quickly fell in love with surfing, and began competing in local competitions.[17]

## Surfing results

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### Victories

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WSL Finals Wins

Year | Event | Venue | Country
2024 | Lexus WSL Finals | Lower Trestles, California |  United States
WCT Wins

Year | Event | Venue | Country
2025 | Surf Abu Dhabi Pro | Hudayriat Island, Abu Dhabi |  United Arab Emirates
2024 | VIVO Rio Pro | Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro |  Brazil
2024 | Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach | Bells Beach,  Victoria |  Australia
2024 | Lexus Pipe Pro | Banzai Pipeline, Oahu |  Hawaii
2023 | VIVO Rio Pro | Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro |  Brazil
2023 | MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal | Supertubos, Peniche |  Portugal
WSL Challenger Series Wins

Year  | Event  | Venue  | Country
2022 | Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro | Gold Coast, Queensland |  Australia
2021 | US Open of Surfing Huntington Beach | Huntington Beach, California |  United States
Juniors Wins
Year  | Event  | Venue  | Country
2022 | Live Like Zander Junior Pro | Soup Bowl, Bathsheba |  Barbados
2019 | Vans US Open of Surfing | Huntington Beach, California |  United States
2019 | Ron Jon Roxy Junior Pro | Cocoa Beach, Florida |  United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Caitlin Simmers Surfer Bio | Age, Height, Videos & Results". World Surf League. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
2. ^ "Women's Challenger Series Final Rankings". World Surf League. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
3. ^ "Caitlin Simmers Wins US Open of Surfing". Surf Gil. September 27, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
4. ^ "Griffin Colapinto, Caitlin Simmers win titles at U.S. Open of Surfing". LA Times. September 27, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
5. ^ "Caitlin Simmers Declines Championship Tour Spot". World Surf League. January 13, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
6. ^ "Meet the 2023 Championship Tour Rookies". The Inertia. February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
7. ^ "Caitlin Simmers Win 2022 Gold Coast Pro". Rip Curl. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
8. ^ "Caitlin Simmers won the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal". Carve. March 15, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
9. ^ "Caitlin Simmers won the VIVO Rio Pro". Carve. July 3, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
10. ^ "Women's Championship Tour Final Rankings". World Surf League. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
11. ^ "Caitlin Simmers Named WSL Rookie Of The Year". The Inertia. October 12, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
12. ^ "Rip Curl WSL Finals Results". World Surf League. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
13. ^ "Caitlin SIMMERS". Olympics. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
14. ^ "2024 World Champ: Caitlin Simmers". World Surf League. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
15. ^ "18-Year-Old Caity Simmers Makes History As Youngest Women's World Champ Ever". Surfer. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
16. ^ "Interview: Caity Simmers On Machete Wars, Rihanna, Personal Project Problems, And The Rise Of Female Surf Content". Stab. February 8, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
17. ^ "Who is Caitlin Simmers, the "girl" who just won the Meo Rip Curl Pro". Surf Total-Pt. Retrieved February 8, 2024.

## External links

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* Caitlin Simmers on Instagram
* Caitlin Simmers at the World Surf League