SIMON BASSETTS 2XS STORY: LIVING LIFETOO EXCESS!SIMON BASSETTS 2XS STORY: LIVING LIFETOO EXCESS!Few people have shaped British windsurfing like Simon Bassett. From launching 2XS at West Wittering back in the 80s, to running legendary wave events and teaching generations to love water sports, Simons story is one of pure passion.We caught up Simon at the 2XS Wave Classic to talk about bringing competition back to the South Coast, the roots of 2XS and a lifetime spent chasing wind, waves and living life too excess! As Simon says, Dont just scroll Instagramgo live it. Be the one doing it.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: So, first of all, the 2XS Wave Classic is back. What was the inspiration behind getting an event back on the south coast?Simon: Well, wed been thinking about it for a couple of years, and when I heard the Cornish event was on in February of 2025, I decided to drive down there and meet Willy McLean and have a chat about the reality of running an event. We ran an event for probably 10 or 12 years back in the day.As an event organiser, you get frustrated with the issues its expensive to runso we ran our course and decided to stop. But watching the Cornish event, there were 80 people there, the rain was pouring down, it was horrendous to be on the beach as a spectator, but the conditions were amazing and the riders were incredible. The last time I saw waves like that, I was at Hookipa watching sets rolling in. It was inspiring to see that in Britain.Ive not been up to Tiree or Rhosneigr or the Welsh events, but seeing it live reminded me how amazing windsurfing is. So yeah, we thought wed bring it back.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Back in the day it was some epic events and memories to look back on?Simon: Yeah, there were a lot of great riders who came here the late Danny Seals, the Bakers, Jamie Hawkins, Stu Holland, Nigel Howell, Julian Anderson, Chris Audsley, Neal Gent, Billy Wheaton and Bel Stanley there was a big crew of people really into windsurfing. For 2XS, windsurfing is what weve been about since we started, so it was right up our street to get back into it.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: We see that you love all that nostalgialooking back on the epic days and windsurfing history?Simon: I think so. I started windsurfing in 1976my dad got into it in 74and we went windsurfing whenever we could. Back in the 70s, windsurfing was this new, weird sport no one had seen before. We were on big long boards, seeing pictures of Robbie Naish, Mike Waltz, Thor Horgen and the Schweitzers in Hawaii. That was the dream. We were inland at the time, but it was the inspiration to get on and do it.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: So, when did you move to West Wittering?Simon: I moved here in the mid-80s. I worked down her for Dee Caldwell on the beach, and thats when it all started.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: And how did the whole 2XS get started?Simon: A friend Id met in Vass in 83 84 came up with the branding of 2XS. I asked him to come up with some nameshe said, Ive got two: Uber or 2XS. We chose 2XSUber was a bit German for us, and 2XS could morph into different sports. It wasnt based around my namejust a cool idea: take it too excess.We registered the trademarkeven had a legal fight with Walmart, who tried to take it from us. That took a couple of years, but one of our members, James Mellor, helped us resolve it. Weve kept it goingit works well.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: So when did the shop start?Simon: In 1989. We started in West Wittering, we rented half a shop next to a baker. As business grew, we took over the whole shop, bought the building and went from there. It was hard at firstinterest rates back then were 15%. We got a Princes Youth Business Trust loan, which came with a mentorJack Chapman, a local businessman. I knew about windsurfing, but nothing else, so he somehow helped stop me spending all our money on more boards!WINDSURF MAGAZINE: What sort of boards were you selling back then?Simon: At first, Lodey and Alpha, then F2, Lightwave, Mistral and Tiga. We imported boards too Naish customs, Jimmy Lewis boards and Quatro when they started. We always tried to get the lightest, best, coolest boards stuff that worked. Production boards were good, but back then the customs had that special edge.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: So, you were a keen sailor yourself?Simon: Yeah, I was semi-pro for a while. I knew I wouldnt win everything, but I was usually in the top 15 or top 10 in wave and race events. I did 15 years of longboard racing in the original windsurfer class, Division 1. Then came funboard events wave boards, slalom speed and race boards we all had huge roof racks full of gear! It was a lot of fun.Looking back, we went through so much gear because it didnt always work properly, but it looks great on the wall now!IWINDSURF MAGAZINE: Youve got all those old boards here at Witterings are youre a bit nostalgic about them?Simon: Definitely. When you bought a custom board, you could smell the foam dust and fiberglass. The shapers were artistseach had their own belief in design, pushing limits to find what worked. Back then, people went wild with ideasnow shapes are more uniform, but back then it was crazy creative.Youd open a magazine or go to France or Maui and see designs 10 years ahead of what we had. I travelled a lot and managed to get connected with shapers and designersit was an exciting time.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: When did the beach club come about?Simon: I took over the beach club in 91 at West Wittering. The local estate was going to ban windsurfingit was huge back then, 150200 people out on busy days. There were collisions with swimmers and nearly a million beach visitors during the summer.The estate said we could keep windsurfing if we delivered safety zones and management. It was hard work at first, but in 32 years weve had no serious accidents between windsurfers and swimmers. Our safety record is because of the club, our system, and our teamit works well.WINDSURF MAGAZINE: How important is your team?Simon: Your team is everything. The right people make the right decisions. Theres one of meand my wife Jane manages the business too, but our beach team (Sam, Tara, Rob, Ted, Arthur and others) do an amazing job. Both our daughters, Holly and Daisy, help out on a part time basis tooWINDSURF MAGAZINE: What does the club offer?Simon: Members can windsurf, kite, or wingfoil year-round. We provide full safety from March to Octoberweve got a jet ski and sled, all trained for rescue. We can launch and be on the water in under six minutes. If you called the RNLI, it could be 40 minutes.The clubs also social people come down, meet friends, sail together. Weve got changing rooms, showers, coffee and tea, broadband (so you can pretend youre working!), and loads of new kitbeginner boards, surfboards, Goya, Ezzy, Duotoneall top-end. We replace it every year, so its like being at a rental centre abroad!WINDSURF MAGAZINE: So your whole lifes has revolved around windsurfing?Simon: Yeah. I left home at 17, determined to become a pro windsurfer. I never really did, but windsurfing became my career. I wanted to spend my life on a beachand I did! Not paid to sail but paid by the sea. Ive spent the last 30 years looking at the ocean. Cant complain!WINDSURF MAGAZINE: And this years eventthe 2XS Wave Classic it mustve been satisfying to pull that off?Simon: Absolutely. Seeing the photos felt like a renaissance of windsurfing. Its always been my single goalno plan B. Watching everyone out there. doubles, aerials and the energyIt was inspiring.Everyone was committed: riders, photographers, safety crew. Were not in it for cashjust passion. Even Nik Baker was out. Old friends like Julian Anderson made trophies. Theres a magic to it all.Chris Audsley was hereinjured, but still came down and told me before I could answer: Youre running it next year. And yes, we will. I just wish we could control the wind wed do it more often!WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Whats the most satisfying part of your job?Simon: Teaching. Watching little five-year-olds go from scared of the sea to loving windsurfingthats special. If you teach people the right way early on, it becomes a lifetime hobby.Next year will be my 50th year of windsurfing. My dad introduced me, like so many dads and mums do. I know what its given me.and Id tell anyone: dont just scroll Instagram, go live it. Be the one doing it!Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, SUP, Surf Equipment Shop 2XSBRIEF HISTORY:SIMON BASSETTSimon learnt to windsurf in 1976, aged 11 (before a lot of the rest of the 2XS team were born!) He competed in Windsurfer Class Div 1, UKBSA, Johnnie Walker Speed Events, Smirnoff and the South West Funboard Cup. He became the Production Board Speed record holder in the UK on a Klepper 272! He was an IWA (International Windsurfing Association) Instructor at 16 and then became an RYA Level 5 Windsurfing Instructor.He co-founded the British Speed-sailing Association was a committee member for the BWA. He was the test editor of On Board and Windsurf Magazine and a Carlsberg/Mistral team member, one of the first pilots/sailors of a wind glider (a hanglider/windsurfer crossover) called the wind weapon.He has worked in Vassiliki and Tarifa as an instructor and has travelled to some of the best windsurfing and SUP spots on the planet including Ireland, Cabarete, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Barbados, Egypt, Fuerte, Maui, Hawaii, California and Baja, Mexico.Simon set up 2XS in 1989 with wife Jane and started selling mountain bikes, windsurf gear, snowboards and power kites.Simon:We had a grant from The Princes Youth Business Trust and a superb PYBT business advisor called Jack Chapman. We came second in a national business contest and received an award from HRH Prince Charles. We took over the Windsurf Club at West Wittering in 1991 when windsurfing was nearly banned on the beach and set the first beach zoned windsurf safety system in the UK. Since then, we have added kitesurfing to this.2XS moved its entire operation online to www.2XS.co.uk in 2005 and sold the freehold on the shop site.Simons involvement in watersports has been extensive, he was one of the first paddlesurfers in the UK in 2006, cofounded BSUPA and has been Joint Head Coach and Chairman. Simon did a team world record attempt channel crossing in 2010 on an SUP to raise money and awareness for Surfers Against Sewage charity and raised 10,000. Simon has also co-written, with Andy Gratwick, the BSUPA teaching scheme which has over 100 schools and more than 20,000 students a year completing BSUPA courses. The BSUPA syllabus and safety information has been taught to the now 100,000 clients who have completed a BSUPA course.Simon has been a trustee and works with Dan Charlish, Julia, Andy Gratwick, Chris Bull, Lewis Crathern and his team on the Virgin Kite Armada and the SUP Armada as charity fund raisers (raising more than 120,000 to date) and has notched up 4 Guiness World Records as an event organiser and competitor (SUP).In 2018 Simon wrote a book in conjunction with Fernhurst booksStand Up Paddleboarding: A Beginners Guide.Simon has been at the forefront of the foiling crazes, being an early adopter of windsurf foiling, and then moving quickly across to wingfoiling right at the beginning when the discipline emerged. Simon now teaches plenty of wingfoiling, and is both an RYA and BKSA Wing instructor and is currently training to become a WING trainer. Simons newest ventures include learning SUP & downwind foiling.The post SIMON BASSETTS 2XS STORY: LIVING LIFETOO EXCESS! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.