Huntington Beach surfing legend Brett Simpson enjoys ‘ambassador’ role at Hurley

Brett Simpson remains possibly as involved in his sport as someone who last surfed on the World Surf League Championship Tour in 2016 could be.

The Huntington Beach native was named the U.S. Olympic surfing team coach in 2020, and watched with pride the following summer as Carissa Moore of Hawaii became the first woman ever to win a gold medal in surfing the next summer at the Tokyo Olympics.

Simpson, a two-time U.S. Open of Surfing champion, also had a longtime sponsorship with Hurley during his time on tour. And he remains deeply involved with the Costa Mesa-based clothing and accessories company.

Simpson, who turned 38 last week, still loves to get out on the waves himself. But he’s also stoked with continuing his role as sports marketing director and Team Hurley manager.

“It’s everything I love,� said Simpson, who was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame last summer, during an interview with the Daily Pilot this week. “I love all of our athletes, working that side of things. Whether older or younger, I’m trying to give our athletes an opportunity to succeed in their surfing career. There’s been some tricky parts. Obviously I still love to surf a lot myself, so I have to find those times. The scheduling gets a little bit tighter, but overall I love working with the [World Surf League].

“Working with other action sports is new for me. Skate and snow, obviously I did it, but now it’s at a bigger level with athletes and events. I feel like I’ve learned a lot fairly quick, and I’ve been able to have cool support from our ownership. I’ve been given a long leash to kind of work things out and find things that I think will help benefit the brand, and I think that’s the most important part.�

Hurley is sponsoring the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge in Portugal, which has its window open into March. Once the conditions are right, Simpson knows the surfing will be jaw-dropping, with 40- to-60-foot waves and a big cliff that lends itself to a stadium atmosphere.

He said the company has three key big wave surfers for the event — Kai Lenny from Maui, Will Skudin from New York and also Nic Von Rupp, who lives right there in Nazaré.

“The Nazaré Challenge is an event where simply making a wave doesn’t mean you’re safe,� Lenny said. “It is survival the entire time. That being said, pressure makes diamonds and the best rides I’ve ever had out there have been in this event.�

Simpson is excited for a big 2023 for Hurley, including the Hurley Pro at Sunset Beach, Hi., in February. That’s the second event on the WSL Championship Tour (CT) calendar. And, he expects Hurley surfers Felipe Toledo and Moore to be in contention for another world title. Toledo is the defending world champion, while Moore is a four-time world champion herself.

As for Simpson, he also enjoys his family life with his wife Danielle, daughter Paigelynn, 9, and son Kobe, 6. Paigelynn enjoys gymnastics and dancing, while Kobe has gotten into football.

Yeah, but do they surf?

“My daughter was getting into it,� Brett Simpson said. “She got a little scared with stingrays, which slowed her up a little bit. My son is getting out there quite often when it’s doable. I help him still a little bit, it takes some time. I’m trying to stay out of it, but I definitely love having them surfing.�

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