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When Caitlin Simmers qualified for the CT in 2022, the prodigious teen elected not to take up the position. “I’d like to work on my surfing, spending time with my family, friends, and school to be more mentally and physically ready to face that challenge,” the whippet-framed surfer from Oceanside California told the WSL. Simmers, comfortably re-qualified in 2023 and by the time she landed in Margaret River this year, she’d already won her first CT in sand-churning chunks at Supertubos and tail-kicked her way into the all-important top five. When a free-surfing session went down at The Box, in Margaret River, Simmers was quick to join the barrel-hunt alongside good friend, Sierra Kerr. Any surfer who’s taken on The Box will tell you it’s a wave that requires courage in spades, concise wave selection and a high degree of technical, tube-riding ability just to get under the hood. The kamikaze approach just doesn’t cut if you don’t have the barrel chops to back it up, as many of the world’s best have discovered over the years. Check Caitlin’s line on this wave (pic above). She has neatly scooped in behind the peak so she can knife an inside rail and backdoor the ledging section in front. Full- commitment matched with deft skills, and yes, she did hook under a hefty pit. Caitlin has won fans with her progressive repertoire and quirky commentary, now she’s added heavy barrels to the whole beguiling act.
The question is no longer, ‘Is she ready?’ but ‘Are we ready for what Caitlin does next?’
