Surfing
Surfing
California’s rising star Caity Simmers claims first world title
Caity Simmers faced off against friend and rival Caroline Marks in a high-stakes showdown at the WSL Lexus Finals. Discover how the 18-year-old California local transformed pressure into victory.
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18-year-old Californian Caity Simmers reached surfing’s highest peak on Saturday, winning her first world title as an adoring hometown crowd lined the Lower Trestles cobblestones and cheered her to glory at the Lexus WSL Finals.
Simmers' three World Surf League Championship Tour wins this year, the Lexus Pipe Pro, Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and VIVO Rio Pro, saw her finish on top of the 2024 WSL Championship Tour rankings. Defending world champion Caroline Marks was sitting in second as the WSL Final 5 surfers gathered in Southern California for the title-deciding showdown.
Caitlin Simmers rode a wave of Californian support to a maiden world title
© Tony Heff/World Surf League
I've always wanted to win a world title. To actually do it is surreal
With first light revealing clean three-to-four foot waves at Lower Trestles, World Surf League Commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer had no hesitation in green-lighting the event on the first day of the waiting period.
WSL Finals: The overall results
The WSL Finals is a one day event that sees the fifth and fourth ranked surfers battle it out in Match 1, before the winner advances to face the third ranked surfer in Match 2. That winner then advances to Match 3 against the second ranked surfer, before the winner then takes on the top ranked surfer in the Title Match, a best-of-three affair that crowns the world champion.
Brazilian surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb beat Australian young gun Molly Picklum in a Match 1 rankings upset, before Weston-Webb accounted for Costa Rican surfer Brisa Hennessy in Match 2 to set up a tantalising, all-goofyfoot duel with Marks in Match 3. Although Weston-Webb put the San Clemente-based surfer to the test, the reigning world champ called on her powerful backhand to take the win in the dying minutes.
It's always 12 o'clock when Caroline Marks is in the water
© Tony Heff/World Surf League
The Title Match saw 2024's two standout surfers square-off, with four Championship Tour victories and an Olympic gold medal between them. As expected, Marks came out all guns blazing in Heat 1, a 7.50 and an event high 9.60 giving her an comfortable win first up, but perhaps also sparking Simmers' campaign to life.
Simmers: "I had a bit of a meltdown, then somehow pulled it together"
"I had a bit of a meltdown after that heat, then somehow pulled it together," said Simmers, understatedly. Simmers, who grew up just 20 minutes from San Clemente in Oceanside, ran rampant in the second heat. A pair of back-to-back nine-point rides not only left Marks chasing an insurmountable total, but put Simmers' title campaign well and truly on track.
Caitlin Simmers: Queen of Oceanside
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
Simmers was never headed in the decider. As the waves started to slow, it was the Californian who found the first score and then bettered Marks's opening wave on the next exchange. While Simmers' score of 8.83 couldn’t be considered a victory lap, with 20 minutes still remaining, it felt like the young phenom might just have done enough.
Marks sat patiently once again, but this time the ocean did her no favours and the crowd on the beach roared their approval as the final siren sounded to leave Simmers as the new world champion.
At just 18 years, 10 months and 12 days, Simmers overtook five-time world champion Carissa Moore to become professional surfing's youngest-ever world champion – special mention to Margo Oberg's titles in the '70s – and she beamed as she shared the podium with John John Florence.
John John Florence was unstoppable en route to a third world title in 2024
© Pat Nolan/World Surf League
The Hawaiian legend collected his third world title after winning a tight tussle with 2019 world champion Italo Ferreira, who'd run rampant through the field before being shut down by a fired-up Florence.
Red Bull spoke with Simmers in the aftermath of the greatest day of competitive surfing in her life.
How did you feel when you woke up this morning?
13 min
Subjects: Caity Simmers
The pride of Oceanside, California, shows us the streets that raised one of the top surfers in the world.
Was surfing at home this morning just a warmup or was it also a reminder of where it all began?
It was just a little bit of a warmup, to get my feet in the wax, do some turns and feel out my board. I only got two or three waves, but that was enough, it was nice.
What's it like driving up the Interstate 5 to Lower Trestles knowing there's this crazy contest going on and everyone's already fighting to get to you, the final boss?
It was weird. It seemed like I had nowhere to go but down, like I had everything to lose, which is a weird feeling that I haven't really had before. I definitely felt a lot of new emotions today.
Caitlin Simmers basking in that new trophy glow
© Jimmy Wilson/Red Bull Content Pool
You just overtook Carissa Moore as surfing's youngest-ever world champion. I'd like to read you a message from her.
"Caity had an incredible season! 'm so impressed with how she's handled the pressure at each event and remained authentic to herself and her approach the whole way through. It's no easy feat to be that consistent and then to come back and win everything again on finals day, especially after losing the first matchup, wow. Just, wow. I hope she enjoys every moment and soaks it in inspirational stuff. She should be so proud!"
How does it feel to hear that?
That's cool. That’s a cool record to have too. I had the privilege of getting to know Carissa on the last trip we went on, to Tahiti. I had a really great time with her and she gave me and Caroline a lot of advice. Carissa was a bit of a big sister and it was cool to see her super relaxed around us. I felt like we were all really comfortable with ourselves and were all having a great time with each other.
It's amazing to hear that from Carissa, because she's one of the best of all time and I definitely looked up to her a lot growing up.
Did you always want to win a world title when you were growing up?
Yeah. I think since I first started competing I've always wanted to win a world title. Once you get to the higher levels, like the Qualifying Series and especially the Challenger Series, you realise that you're doing it all just to try and get on the tour and win a world title. So, to actually do it is surreal. This feels crazy.
Caity Simmers has a timeless style that's way beyond her years
© Brent Bielmann/World Surf League
Caity Simmers standing strong in the eye of the Backdoor storm
© Brent Bielmann/World Surf League
Caity Simmers knifes a Backdoor bomb on her way to winning the Pipe Pro
© Brent Bielmann/World Surf League
The ferocious Caity Simmers post-pit carve
© Brent Bielmann/World Surf League
As well as winning the first event of the season at Pipeline, on the final day you, Molly Picklum and Bettylou Sakura Johnson put women's heavy water surfing on the map. Were you blown away by the reaction that got?
Yeah, that was an amazing time for women's surfing. I'm glad we got to end the year in a good fashion, too. Somehow the wind stayed away all day. Everyone was telling me that the wind was going to pick up, but I'm watching it right now and it's still so glassy. It's a sign from the universe.
The ocean and the elements gave us a gift today and it was amazing
Does good surfing mean as much to you as good results?
Yes. I came in today with the mindset of, 'I'm going to surf how I want to surf'. I didn't want to do any safety surfing. That's always my goal, because if I'm going to win, then I want win with the surfing I want to do. I was lucky enough today to keep myself in the moment and choose the best waves, and I'm glad that I could pull it off and do that. It was an amazing day.
Caity Simmers carves her name in a Trestles wall and onto the title trophy
© Tony Heff/World Surf League
Caity Simmers and the foundation for surfing success
© Tony Heff/World Surf League
Caitlin Simmers laying rail at Lower Trestles
© Tony Heff/World Surf League
You had as many excellent wave scores today as you've had all year...
I was thinking that! I don't think I’ve had a nine in a while, so it felt really good to get two of them in my second heat. That definitely gained me a little bit of confidence back, which was nice because I'd lost a little bit in my first heat with Caroline.
Caity Simmers is the face of things to come
© Domenic Mosqueira/Red Bull Content Pool
Talking about Caroline, you guys looked fired up in the three heats you surfed against each other. You're friends, but you weren't giving an inch.
We were both kind of pissed at each other! I love her as a friend, though. We were hanging a lot in Tahiti and we've become much closer over the last couple of months. Caroline's become kind of a bigger sister to me too, giving me life advice and not just talking about surfing.
Today, I was watching her heats closely and I knew that it wasn't going to be an easy time out there. Caroline isn't only one of the smartest competitors, but also one of the best surfers on top of that, so it's really hard to beat her.
The first heat with Caroline was pretty crazy. She was chasing me the whole time and then catching up to me, which felt pretty weird. I had a bit of a meltdown after that heat, then somehow pulled it together and did it in the second heat, and then did it again in third heat (laughs).
Caity Simmers and John John Florence comparing world title trophies
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
You shared the stage with John John Florence today. It must be special knowing that you'll always share the 2024 world title?
Yeah, I mean he has been my favourite surfer my whole life. I used to watch View From A Blue Moon every day growing up, so it's pretty crazy to be winning a world title with him.
Did John say anything to you on stage?
I think we were just pretty proud of each other.
Cali Kid Caity Simmers feeds off the hometown energy of friends and family
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
As you should be, we're all proud of you! Congratulations again.
Thank you.
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