Simon Bassett - The Boss

Simon learnt to windsurf in 1976, aged 11 (before a lot of the rest of the team were born!) He competed in Windsurfer Class Div 1, UKBSA, Johnnie Walker Speed Events, Schmirnoff 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, Barbados, Egypt, Fuerte, Maui, Hawaii, California and Baja, Mexico.

Simon set up 2XS® in 1989 with wifey 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 Jacques 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.

After over 30 years of windsurfing, Simon is very passionate about getting on the water: he currently rides an RRD Wave Twin 82 and an RRD Wave Cult Hardcore 75, powered with EZZY Wave Panthers. On the SUP side, he uses a GONG 10'2 Greedy and a GONG 10'8 Everywhere, Kialoa Shaka Pu'u Paddles and NPX Wetsuits.

Recently, he has been responsible for the development of the Rippers (5+) kids courses at X-Train. Simon has been heavily involved with paddlesurfing as one of the first SUPers in the UK. He helped set up the British Stand Up Paddlesurf Association (BSUPA) and ran all their events in 2008. He is currently working on rolling out a coaching program for the UK with them and the BSA (British Surfing Association) for 2009.

Simon is also involved in other business ventures such as SUPGlobal as well distribution of GONG Paddleboards, Kialoa Paddles, Free Your Mind DVDs and Prosport Sunscreen.

Jane Bassett - The REAL Boss

Jane is the better looking half of 2XS and Jane runs the admin side of both 2XS.co.uk and X-Train.

She worked in distribution for Reef and Gaastra Sails and has travelled with Simon to some of the best windsurfing spots in the world.

Jane splits her time between the office and looking after the kids: Holly and Daisy.

Jane deserves a medal of honour for the hard work she puts in whilst putting up with Simon and Emile's excuses for why they can't be in the office when it's windy because there is kit to be tested!

Emile Kott - The REAL Worker

Emile Kott has a real mix of life experience. He graduated from Sussex University in 2001 with a 1st Class BSc Honour degree in Maths with Artificial Intelligence. He then took the obvious career step of becoming a windsurfing instructor for a few years in Greece, Minorca, Egypt, Brazil and the Canary Islands. He is a regular member of the Boards Magazine Test Team and, for his sins, is flown a few times a year to sunny beaches in order to do some "work".

During his time in the Canaries, Emile spent a lot of time going surfing in waves that were probably a fair bit too big for him but as such managed to get his surfing to a respectable level within a couple of years. Now settled in the UK, he has found a job that takes advantage of his mixed skill-set. Not only is he the "IT-guy", but he also is passionate about windsurfing, surfing, paddleboarding and kiting.

Simon: Emile doesn't like talking about himself too much but not only being a shit-hot windsurfer, Emile has spent a lot of time surfing, is a good paddlesurfer and has recently taught himself to kitesurf. At the last UKWA event at West Wittering, he won the pro expression session with ease and if you can't get him on the phone at 2XS, you will find him on the beach testing some of the latest gear.

He runs advanced windsurfing courses for X-Train and, being very keen on both wavesailing and freestyle windsurfing, can be found at West Wittering Windsurfing Club whenever the wind or waves are up.

Emile likes to wear Neil Pryde NPX wetsuits, Dakine Harnesses and uses an RRD Hardcore 70 and an RRD TwinTip 100 GONG paddleboards.

If you want to tap into his knowledge or even book a course to spruce up your carve-gybes, loops and advanced freestyle, why not give him a call in the office on 01243 512552 or email him.