Tanya Saleh reports from day four of the American Windsurfing Tour’s Cactus Cup, Punta San Carlos, Baja. Images by Clark Merritt…

We awoke to slightly larger swell again, but the fast increasing large high tides once again meant that the point waves did not exist. Therefore it was decided to hold round 3 at the beach break by the Solo Sports camp. Solid head high and larger sets were coming through so everyone geared up for the 12 minute, 2 waves to count heats.

The Youths were first to go out and they were clearly all fired up because they were all charging getting right under the lip with every hit. This was accompanied by several crashes so all together was rather entertaining to watch. Morgan took 1st place with Jordan in 2nd an Jay in 3rd.

In the men’s, Keith Teboul and Kevin Pritchard progressed from the first heat, Kevin McGilvray and Skylar Haywood moved on from the second heat, with Graham Ezzy and Morgan Noireaux joining them from the 3rd heat. The final sailors were Keith, Graham, Morgan, and Kevin P. The set waves were becoming a little less frequent and Graham and KP got the better longer waves therefore progressing to the super final. This 20 minute heat was truly fantastic to watch; experience vs. youth. Both of them were getting 4 turns and 2 or 3 aerials per wave. Graham scored on the larger wave front, and his additional goiters thrown into the mix gave him the edge to take 1st place.

In the amateurs, Solo Sports Staff member Joey Sanchez finally made it passed his first heat. Joey has only been windsurfing for a year and a half, is very competitive, and therefore was a little upset that he hadn’t made it yet. Today was his day and he got through to the final. Conversely Pete Dekay (editor of Windsport) has been lying flat on his back for 24 hours thanks to a random back injury. With no Dr’s within a couple of hundred miles he has been taking it easy and nursing it with plenty of Baja Fogs. Hopefully it will head as quickly as it came.

In the women’s we all struggled to find waves but I managed to grab the biggest and landing an aerial pretty much sealed the deal. Event organiser Sam took 2nd place with her increasingly aggresive turns, Miho in 3rd and Catherine in 4th.

Huge shout out to Solo Sports owner Kevin Trejo who some of you will know. He got bullied into joining the Master’s having not windsurfed for 10 years!! His first round resulted his highest score being a waterstart, but has redeemed himself since by winning the next 2 rounds!