‘Fortiter in Re-Suaviter in Modo’ (Resolute in Execution, Gentle in Manner) – In Conversation with Caity Simmers, was originally published in Volume XIV, June 2024
Photography by Jimmy Wilson & Trevor Moran | Words by Alexei Obolensky
If pro surfing is a buttoned-up symphony orchestra, Caity is backstage head-banging to some obscure hardcore track. A true rockstar in a world of callisthenics and foam rollers, Caity Simmers’ take on not only competitive surfing but life in general oozes a confident cool that simply can’t be taught…but don’t let that fool you—she’s also out for blood. Having taken out two of the first six events of the season in Bells and Pipe, Caity currently sits firmly within the top fives as she eyes her first world title come autumn. With this being just her second full time year on tour, the cliche “it’s not if, but when” feels the most appropriate description of Caity’s 2024 domination.
Caity’s edits embody her fun-loving spirit, backed up by some seriously insane surfing; check out the first session from the box in Bell Jar for reference. This raw ability mixed with Caity’s quiet creative genius in the editing suite and impeccable taste in music has made Toasted a favourite WT Youtube channel. When recently asked how to summarise Caity, we landed on this: an 18 year old girl who doesn’t really give a fuck and happens to be unreal at surfing. Her creative passion and young innocence present a juxtaposition of mindset to the usual top tier CT rankings (#1 at the time of writing) but we can’t help but feel that it’s this air of disconnection and raw talent that has propelled her to dizzy heights, an astronomical rise to greatness that we can’t see slowing anytime soon.
She’s stylish, humble, sweet, and unapologetically herself, while dominating surfing on all fronts. We sat down with the rockstar that is Caity Simmers at home in Oceanside, courtesy of Red Bull, to discuss her blazing start to 2024 and what lies ahead.
Talk us through the birth of Toasted.
It was kind of just a shitpost Instagram account—that’s kind of how I looked at it. I wouldn’t say I started it as, “Oh, this is a media outlet,” just an Instagram to post to whatever I wanted. And it felt like my main Instagram was a proper thing, with sponsors and responsibility, it’s kind of a business—so I wanted something way less serious! I just want to have a place where I can post the dumbest stuff possible. So I guess it all just really came from there!
How did that then give birth to Toasted the film?
I’m really obsessed with making surf videos, and we started the Instagram because I was working on a surf movie and I guess that IG account was just a behind the scenes of the movie. Then we decided to call the movie Toasted, and it all spiralled from there. Now I know that I definitely want to keep making surf videos, Toasted Media is a thing!
You seem really creatively invested in everything that you do, from editing to music.
I mean, I really just enjoy watching and editing surf videos. And yeah, it’s a really big deal for me, especially in surfing, it’s cool to be involved at the different levels of the whole thing. Although, honestly, the main reason is just so I get to pick the music…that’s the biggest part of a surf video to me—the music. I feel it really makes or breaks a surf video. I’m really into all kinds of music, so I wanted to just put the songs that I liked to the surfing that I liked as well.
Without meaning to sound condescending, your music taste is incredibly diverse and mature compared to most teenagers…
I’ve just listened to a lot of music. And it’s kinda just the music that I like, there’s no real rhyme, reason or sense to it. My brother and I are always showing each other new songs and artists. We’re always trying to discover new music and find songs that no one’s listening to. It’s a source of excitement to me, knowing that you’re going to find another good song in your life—that feeling of finding a really good song. I listen to a broad mix of stuff. The last week or so I’ve been listening to Bonnie Raitt; she’s really, really cool. I’d say my favourite band of all time is Big Thief.
What video parts shaped you growing up?
Honestly, I just watch Dane’s Marine Layer productions on repeat; it’s just that perfect simple formula—surfing waves to a good song, nothing else really, barely any B-roll or fancy stuff. And that’s really cool. That’s not to say I don’t like B-roll or fancy stuff, as some people are amazing at it, like Quinn (Graham) does it so well—he has the coolest style of editing. But at the end of the day, the best part about surf edits is the surfing and the music. So, I watched a lot of Marine Layer Productions when I was a kid. I still watch it, for sure. I watch Sampler pretty much every day.
Would you say that Dane has been a big inspiration for you?
Definitely, Dane inspired me a lot as a kid and Steph Gilmore as well—her surfing is amazing to watch. Some of those older surf movies as well, especially all of Taj’s stuff. I really back the Rage crew, they make really cool videos. Honestly, probably now, more than surfing I watch a lot of the Vans snowboard videos with Arthur Longo and the Hockey skate videos. They get me fired up.
You are arguably one of the most prolific top tier tour surfers who also puts out some of the most impressive free surfing edits. How do you balance that?
I don’t know. It’s kind of just happened and I’m so grateful for where I am right now. It’s sometimes super weird because I feel I’m trying to take it easy and but also then you’re in this super serious world of the tour—it’s so intense. The two are different—so many ups and downs and it’s hard to be comfortable a lot of the time because you’re always on these different time zones in a different place with a different pillow—never in your own bed. You’re kinda just overwhelmed, but trying to be comfortable. I just try to surround myself with people that I enjoy being around and try to simplify it all. Sometimes, you can have a couple of things that will simplify it for you. Mostly, it’s my family and travelling with my brother, just to have someone to surf and hang with.
What do you value more, a podium finish or a video part?
Oh, that’s kinda a hard one because I feel they both fulfil different parts of me…I would say it’s mostly equal, but I mean, I love free surfing—I didn’t start surfing to win contests, you know, so there’s always the part of me that just seriously enjoys being in the water, getting barrelled or whatever. But there’s also this part of me that really wants to win. I despise losing.
At the time of writing you are first in the world and then you got knocked out in the elimination round by 0.3 points at Teahupoo, a wave that you were tipped as one of the favourites for…how did you deal with that?
That was probably my hardest loss. It was so terrible…I don’t know, I guess you kinda just have to look at it in the way that it was meant to happen. It’s a cliché you just have to learn from it, losing—that’s when you kinda learn the most. You rarely learn that much when you win. But I definitely wish that it didn’t happen. I would have loved to get barrelled on the finals day yesterday but I was home in Oceanside surfing brown water.
What scares you?
Big waves scare me for sure. My biggest fear is the ocean, knowing what it could do to you. I feel it could pretty much do whatever the hell it wants. That’s a pretty scary thought.
Those are pretty wild words for a Pipemaster! When you said on the webcast (which we at WT loved), “Pipeline is for the fucking girls,” what did that mean for you? What did you really mean by that?
It was really because that’s what I was thinking that day—just kinda the theme for me for the day. It was a pretty special day just because of how bad it was earlier in the week. I had to get through most of my heats doing spec snaps; it was crazy to wake up that day and see second reef pipe waves and just knowing that we were going to run and feeling the fear and emotions of it all. I remember free surfing before we ran and I did not get a single wave—there were 150 people out and I was just thinking, okay, well if I could catch a wave, which waves would I be on?
It got me so excited seeing all the girls getting the most insane waves in the heats, at the beginning of the final with Molly, before it started. I thought, whoever wins this has to say Pipeline’s for the fucking girls. And then I won it, so I had to say it!
I would say it was just a statement. I didn’t mean anything too deep by it. I guess it was a little deep in the sense of seeing the level of women’s surfing that day. It was pretty clear—the girls can surf Pipeline. I think Pipe girls could always surf Pipe; there’s always been girls that get can out of barrels out there but it just took that one day to see it properly in competition. I guess the fact that I said that was a pretty big deal, but to me at the time, it wasn’t. There is so much stuff going through your mind during a finals day of an event that you weren’t even thinking about in terms of the aftermath, you are so high on adrenaline and hyped up that you just do whatever— I kinda enjoy it. And then it was a big deal…
Being 18 and winning Pipe is kind of a big deal…you could argue it’s pretty inspirational?
I mean, obviously if I could inspire anyone to go surf that’s a pretty cool thing, you know. Sometimes when I win contests I feel like, what did that really do for the world? It’s a pretty selfish endeavour—it’s all just for me, because I like winning. I like that thought of, ok, well if that can make some girls want to go surf and they love surfing and can see that they’re entitled to go surf—as a girl in a sport where there’s definitely more guys in it. I would be honoured to inspire more girls.
What would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?
I honestly think that day at Pipe, that’s one of the proudest moments of my life. I feel I competed well on top of that. That’s always a good feeling, because sometimes I do not compete well. The waves were firing—it felt good.
What are you riding outside of contests?
I’m always on something different, especially when I get back from an event. I’m usually riding some weird board. I feel the waves in California can be so small sometimes it forces you to try different things. Recently I’ve been riding this little Bobby Quad, one of Coco’s boards from the Electric Acid Surfboard Test, but I took it from the Stab office and it’s one of my favourite boards to ride when it’s small. I get on that once in a while, or jump on one of my friends’ longboards or whatever; I just always find myself on weird little boards. I feel it makes it a little more exciting. But then after a couple of days, I’m like, okay I’ll get back on track on the usual shortboard.
How’s your relationship with skateboarding?
I have a pretty good relationship so far…actually, lately I’ve been a little skeptical about it. It’s pretty hard not to think about the scenario of me fucking doing a rock to fakie and eating crap. And then I can’t do the next couple of contests just because I decided to go skating—that scenario definitely plays out in my mind. It’s hard as I’ve always loved skating. I’ve always skated, I’ve gone in and out of phases, usually when I’m home and especially in the winter; when it’s cold I’m always skating just because I’m not surfing as much. I guess the relationship is a little more complicated now in that sense, but it’s definitely all love no hate, just with a little bit of worry…
With that wave you got (still kept a secret) in the Surfline feature, a lot of people were saying, “that’s the best barrel-riding ever”, and calling the wave ‘Caity’s wave’. Does that make you feel pressure to perform?
Honestly, no. I think it was the best day of surfing in my life so kinda just knowing that happened, I don’t feel any pressure from it. I feel nothing but happiness thinking about that trip. Looking back at it, seeing the videos of it is pretty insane. It’s just one of those moments where you look back and you think, wow, that might be the only time I’ll ever get to experience anything like that in my life.
You did that trip with your brother, who you also travel with pretty much nonstop. How would you describe your dynamic?
I guess we were just always interested in the same thing. So we kinda push each other within that. He is definitely one of the reasons that I’m pretty competitive as I am older than him so I’ve obviously always felt I had to be better than him. When I see him do something good, I kinda have to do something better than that. So yeah, we’ve always surfed together and we’re really close. We enjoy being random, we do a lot together and we are always pushing each other.
How do you see the state of women’s surfing in general?
It’s pretty cool to see where women’s surfing is. I see the women right behind me and I know that it’s going get a lot further than it is now. It’s amazing seeing Erin Brooks do full rotations and all these girls doing huge airs. I think that it’s going to progress quick. It’s already progressing so quick in a pretty short amount of time, which is amazing. I definitely think it’s not going to stop anytime soon.
I know that it’s going to be in good hands in a couple of years when I’m maybe not as relevant or whatever. I’m not worried about women’s surfing. It’s in a good spot.
What do you want to achieve? How do you define success for yourself?
It would be pretty hard for me to say that a world title wasn’t on my mind. I would love to win a world title. But that’s not the end goal for me. I really want to keeping making surf films and get better at it, to produce really high quality videos with good music.
My biggest values in life are the relationships I have with people, so hopefully I can affect other people’s lives in a positive way, maybe making an impact on their life that they can take with them and live a better life from. That’s my core value, what I want to achieve.
