Brett Simpson

American surfer from Huntington Beach who won back-to-back U.S. Open of Surfing titles in 2009 and 2010, becoming the first surfer to do so, and later coached Team USA's inaugural Olympic surfing squad.

Born in Long Beach, California, on 5 January 1985, Brett Simpson grew up in the shadow of the Huntington Beach pier, the son of former NFL defensive back Bill Simpson. A fierce competitor in the U.S. amateur ranks, he graduated from Huntington Beach High School in 2003 and began his professional career shortly after. Simpson's signature achievement came on home soil at the U.S. Open of Surfing, where he defeated reigning two-time world champion Mick Fanning to win the 2009 title and its unprecedented $100,000 prize, before defending it in 2010 by beating nine-time world champion Kelly Slater and world number one Jordy Smith, becoming the first surfer in the event's history to win back-to-back titles. He was named Orange County Surfer of the Year in both 2008 and 2009. Simpson spent six years competing at the elite World Tour level, with his best Championship Tour result coming in his rookie season, reaching the semi-finals of the Quiksilver Pro France before losing to Kelly Slater. In 2016, Simpson transitioned into coaching the next generation of American surf talent, and in 2020 was named the inaugural head coach of Team USA's Olympic surfing squad, a role in which he helped guide Carissa Moore to the first-ever women's Olympic surfing gold medal at the Tokyo Games. He continues to coach and compete occasionally near his Huntington Beach home.

Powerful, competitive beach-break specialist

A Huntington Beach hometown hero and coach of Team USA's first Olympic surfing squad