San Clemente surfer Sawyer Lindblad has a game plan: to once again take home the coveted Jack’s Surfboards Pro title.
The reigning event champion was one step closer Friday, April 7, as she emerged from the water as the winner of her heat during the surf contest just south of the Huntington Beach Pier, feeling relaxed and ready for the next round.
The key? “Just not think about it too much and enjoy my time close to home,” said Lindblad, who has spent the year traveling and competing at events around the world.
More than 100 surfers from across the globe are in Surf City for the Qualifying Series contest, which is a chance for up-and-coming competitors to earn points toward their goal to one day be ranked among the world’s best.
The event kicked off with the West Coast Board Riders competition on Wednesday, April 5, with the Encinitas surf club taking the win. The Jack’s Surfboards Pro kicked off Thursday and runs through Sunday.
For many of the surfers, it’s a chance to compete close to home, reconnect with friends and family and rest in their own beds before heading to the next overseas event.
Lindblad is just back from Barbados, another World Surf League Qualifying Series event, in which she took second. Earlier this year, she won a big event in San Luis Obispo.
Several strong finishes have put her in the No. 1 spot as the North American World Surf League regional Qualifying Series champion.
“It was definitely a goal of mine, it feels really good that I got to achieve that goal,” she said.
Her strong placing officially puts her onto the Challenger Series – higher-level events that will give her a chance to rack up points to qualify for next year’s World Tour. One of those stops includes July’s U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.
Several other local surfers had stellar finishes through the morning Friday to move to the next round. Lindblad’s brother, Taj, won his heat, as did fellow San Clemente surfers Crosby Colapinto, Cole…
Read the full article here
