By Jake Howard
It’s been a heck of a year for Sawyer Lindblad. Her accomplishments over the course of 2021 deserve much more space than we have right here. She’s most definitely moved beyond Grom of the Week at this point, but we wanted to make sure that she gets the shine she deserves after coming so far.
The 16-year-old San Clemente surfer just finished the 2021 WSL Challenger Series ranked 11th, meaning she very nearly qualified for the prestigious Championship Tour.
Sawyer Lindblad. Photo: Courtesy of Damien Poullenot/World Surf League
Her run began with a statement-making performance at the U.S. Open in Huntington Beach, where she finished a very respectable fifth place.
After that, she headed to Europe with her family and support crew, and while things could have gone better in tricky Portuguese conditions, she really found her form at the Roxy Pro France, where she finished in third.
She ended the season in Hawaii, and while she suffered an ear injury during her preparations that kept her out of the water for a while, she sucked it up, strapped on a helmet and paddled out in some solid Hawaiian surf.
All told, it was a brilliant year for Lindblad, and without a doubt, she’s going to be a threat for years to come—you just might not see her here in the Grom of the Week.