First Contest
My name is Elise Gire and I started windsurfing at 27 years old. In April 2017, about one year after learning to windsurf, I joined my boyfriend Joey Sanchez to work at SoloSports in Punta San Carlos. I knew that Punta San Carlos (PSC) would be the perfect place to get better at wave riding and I couldn’t wait to practice on the waves. As soon as I learned that the Baja Desert Showdown, a wave contest that is a stop on the International Windsurfing Tour, was coming back to PSC in August, I made it my goal to compete for the first time.
The Preparation
Punta San Carlos provides all kinds of conditions to practice in. It’s known for ideal side-off wind, making for perfect long down-the-line sailing, sometimes getting 6 or 7 turns on one wave. I learned that getting out on the water no matter what the conditions was the fastest way to improve. When there’s only a one-week window for the contest to run, I needed to be ready for whatever the weather threw at me. Some days it’s fun chest high waves and perfect 4.2 wind (my go-to sail size) and I can practice my bottom to top turns. Sometimes it’s more challenging, with very high winds and no swell, giving me the opportunity to get better and more consistent with my jibes and tacks. Other days are mast high waves with super light wind, and I would practice survival in the big sets. No matter what the conditions, time on the water was what I needed.