Taj Lindblad will make his CT debut at the wave he grew up surfing. Photo: Taj Lindblad//Facebook
Twenty-three-year-old San Clemente standout Taj Lindblad will make his Championship Tour debut next month as a wildcard at the Trestles Pro. His sister, Sawyer Lindblad, currently ranked third on the women’s tour, announced her brother’s wildcard on social media, calling it a dream to surf a CT event with him.
“So excited to announce that my big brother Taj Lindblad will be competing in the WSL Trestles Pro,” Sawyer said. “It will be a very special moment for us both to compete at the highest level at our home break. I’m so proud of Taj and all of the hard work he has put in. Can’t wait to watch him next month out at Lowers!”
Taj has started off the 2026 season strong. He won two Qualifying Series events in Pismo Beach, California and Barbados, and is ranked fifth on the Challenger Series after the first two events in Ballito, South Africa and Huntington Beach.
It will be the first time that siblings have competed simultaneously on the men’s and women’s CT since Owen and Tyler Wright last did so in 2023. Tyler won the last tour event Owen competed in as a wildcard at Bells Beach. (Their brother, Mikey, also joined the siblings as a wildcard at the 2022 Bells Beach event, which Tyler also won.)
Taj grew up surfing with the San Clemente generation that has flooded the CT in recent years, like the Colapinto brothers, Cole Houshmand, and Kade Matson. Lindblad was also a part of the Team USA squad that won gold at the ISA junior champs in 2019.
While Lindblad has never competed in a CT event, he does have experience competing in USA Surfing events at Lower Trestles. It won’t be his first time donning a lycra at his home break.
