THE 2XS TEAM
THE BOSS
Simon Bassett
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, 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 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.
Simon’s 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 instructors 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 books… Stand Up Paddleboarding: A Beginner’s Guide.
Simon has worked in Vassiliki & 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, Nicaragua, Tenerife, Lanazarote, California, Antigua, Baja, France, Sicily and Mexico.
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 REAL BOSS
Jane Bassett
Jane is the better looking half of 2XS and Jane runs the admin side of 2XS.
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 working at the beach.
Jane deserves a medal of honour for the hard work she puts in whilst putting up with Simon’s excuses for why he can’t be in the office when it’s windy because there is kit to be tested!
THE BEACH TEAM
Sam Jones
Originally from Rutland water, he has ventured down South to look for the waves. Sam previously competed in slalom windsurfing all over the country, now mainly focusing on wave and freestyle riding here at West Wittering. Sam has also worked for Goya, Quatro and KT in Haiku Maui, and has spent time windsurfing internationally renowned spots including: Hookipa, Kanaha and Sprecks. Not only that, but Sam has worked in Vassiliki too and expanded his windsurfing skills and qualifications by also teaching wingfoiling and kitesurfing!
Age: 22
Watersport: windsurfing, kitesurfing, wingfoiling, surfing
Years on the water: 10
Favourite session to teach: Learn To Surf or Advanced Windsurfing!
Favourite international spot: Maui, Hawaii
When I am not the beach you can find me… in the pub after a session on the water!
Samuel Macpherson
Samuel discovered his love for windsurfing on his first season in Greece in 2018.
Six years later he still enjoys the sport as much as he did when he started.
Age: 25
Sport: Windsurfing
Years on water: 6
What you teach @ 2XS: Windsurfing
Favourite session to teach: Progressing beginners skills
Favourite international spot: Keros bay, Lemnos
When I’m not at the beach you can find me: At home thinking about the beach
Life motto: Do a cheese roll
Sam Field
Age: 18
Sport: Windsurfing & wingfoiling
Years on water:
What you teach @ 2XS: WingTRO’s, wing privates and windsurfing
Favourite session to teach:
Favourite international spot:
When I’m not at the beach you can find me:
Life motto:
Holly Bassett
Holly has been around watersports since a young age…a given growing up around 2XS! Holly is 3 x British SUP Surf Women’s Champion and currently ranked 5th in Europe and 13th in the world.
Age: 25
Watersport: stand up paddlesurfing, wingfoiling, windsurfing and surfing.
Years on the water: 23
Favourite session to teach: Getting people in the waves!
Favourite international spot: Maui, Hawaii
When I am not the beach you can find me… on the water, training or out walking my dogs!
Max Metcalfe
Age: 16
Sport: Windsurfing
Favourite international spot: Fuerteventura, North Track
When I’m not at the beach you can find me: watching windsurfing videos
Life motto: carry on windsurfing!
Tom Machell
Ted Budd
Age: 16
Sport:
Years on water:
Favourite international spot:
When I’m not at the beach you can find me:
Life motto:
Daisy Bassett
Age: 21
Watersport: Windsurfing
Years on the water: 17
Role/what you teach @ 2xs: Windsurfing and surfing
Favourite session to teach: Rippers! Especially teaching kids to windsurf!
Favourite international spot: Vassiliki, Greece
GROMS
Well the Groms all started windsurfing, kiting, surfing, paddle surfing at young ages. They are all into the sport big time and their duties include: rigging sails, pumping up kites, help with lessons, and generally helping the club run smoothly. This team are all getting on the road to be instructors and learning the way of 2XS Jedi!
2XS TEAMRIDERS
FREDDIE SARGENT – Windsurf – Wingfoil
Freddie who is a committed windsurfer, wingfoiler and has just starting his journey into freestyle.
Freddie who lives near Prinsted Chichester, windsurfs mainly at West Wittering and wing foils inside Chichester Harbour.
He is using Fanatic, ION and Duotone windsurf kit and the same for foiling gear.
Nik Baker from K-66 is supporting Freddie with kit and will helping with some mentoring into his new windsurfing career.
HARRY BARDEN – Wingfoil
Harry has been obsessed with all things water sports since a young age. Starting with sailing, wakeboarding and windsurfing. 4 years ago he caught the foiling bug and started to wakefoil, this then quickly progressed to wingfoiling.
Harry has been winging for nearly 4 years and loves to pull off big jumps. His go to is massive Raley’s and he is currently working on his combination moves and 720’s. He practices at his home spot of Chichester Harbour and West Wittering; his favourite international spot is Vassiliki, Greece.
His current foil set up is a 45L Duotone Sky Style Board, Duotone Wing and Duotone D Lab Aero Carve 850 on a 82 cm mast.
Harry is super stoked to be joining 2XS, K66, Duotone and ION as a team rider.
ALEX MCKIRGAN – Windsurf
Alex was part of our X-Train Rippers success story, like Holly, James & Jack. Alex got stuck into windsurfing at the age of 5 with his parents delivering him to the beach whenever it was windy, teamed up with some nice trips to Maui and Baja. Alex is now riding Ho’okipa and has competed on the AWT Tour in Baja (2nd Youth in 2014).
Alex can be seen out at West Wittering ripping it up on the water windsurfing – he is pretty handy on a SUP too.
Alex is sponsored by Quattro, Ezzy and 2XS.
STU HOLLAND – Kite – SUP
Stu has been with 2XS since the early 90’s he is one of the best windsurfers on the south coast and has been British Wave Champion in 1987. He has windsurfed at all the top sports from Ho’okipa Maui, Margaret River, Baja and Pistol River California. In the 90’s Stu was one of the UK hottest talents in wavesailing.
Even though Stu and his family are living in New Zealand, he is still part of our crew and we look forward to seeing the Hollands when they visit the UK.
Now Stu doesn’t windsurf much due to injuries but can been seen shredding waves on his wave kite or SUP. Stu has a real talent and knowledge when it comes to waves – he is not shy when it gets big. He has the skill to pick out the rideable sections and make it.
Stuart’s long term partner Billie and their kiddies, Poppy and Ollie, can be seen on the beach each time its windy – it’s great to watch them both deciding who is going to look after the kids whilst the other is out on the water!
Stuart has been an important part of the 2XS Team – he has won lots of events and stacks of coverage in the magazines. Stu rides RRD kites and kiteboards and JP Custom SUPS.
NEAL GENT – Kite – Windsurf – SUP
Neal learnt to windsurf when he was 7 and did the National Racing Circuit for years. The Isle of Wight is a prime wavesailing spot so as soon as the kite came along racing went out the window! Neal won the amateur Nationals in 2000 and then competed for three years in the Pro Fleet Top Ten.
Kitesurfing was an obvious progression and Neal switched to the Kite Pro Circuit for another 3 years. His real love is to get out in the waves though which then led onto his latest Pro title. In 2008 and 2009 Neal took the BSUPA (British Stand Up Paddling Association) National Title.
Neal is a bit of a legend on the water – he is a stand out windsurfer, kiter, surfer and paddlesurfer. He is a serious competitor and when he is not on the water he has a full time career as a senior doctor.
Neal has surfed, windsurfed, paddled and kited all the major spots from Indo to Barbados, Portugal to Ireland.
We have worked with Neal for more than 15 years – he has great technical knowledge and a real passion for innovation(you should see his new hydrofoil!) and learning new moves – he is always on the water when the conditions are decent.
2XS WEB TEAM
EMILE KOTT (Web lord)
Emile has worked as an Instructor on the beach at X-Train and also in the office at 2XS – he is a great windsurfer, surfer and paddlesurfer. Plus he has more time on holiday than anyone I know (including Mark Perry!)….
He has a total passion and is obsessed with the sport – Emile has worked for both Boards magazine writing and testing gear and Boardseeker. He has travelled all over the world windsurfing including Brazil, Maui, Tenerife, Ireland, Barbados, Morroco.
Emile is also a computer expert and set up Acroweb where he designs and develops websites (unless its windy!).
Emile sails Goya boards and sails and uses a JP Custom SUP.
JULIA TOMS
Julia is usually spotted checking the surf on her cruiser bike or pursuing her favourite hobby kitesurfing. She is also rather handy with computers and works part-time for updating our website, taking and editing photos/video and keeping our social media flowing.
She moved to the area age 3 and has always been a water baby so is the one to turn to for local knowledge. She also has an extensive array of stamps in her passport and claims to have snorkelled (not surfed!) a number of epic surf spots; Margaret River, Pipeline, Ponta Preta to name a few…
Julia uses RRD Religion wave kites, Symms surfboards, and Canon cameras!
JOSEPH HERBERT
Joseph is a local photographer, capturing the best of the Witterings and other UK spots. Not only photos, but Joe also takes high quality video to best showcase the watersports we know and love. You can find him on instagram @josephbythesea
