This is the third year ASU has hosted their 'Cactus Cup' regatta on Lake Pleasant, and it has been a huge favorite for the UCSD team. It is one of two events where the team camps, but unlike the camping regatta in Santa Barbara, all the teams that are racing camp in the same spot. This created a little community of tents where people mingled with members of other teams, and it really felt like connecting to a larger sailing community.

That sense of community continued during the racing; another unique part of Cactus Cup is that the teams rotate off of pontoon boats packed with all the teams. In periods of postponement due to light wind, everyone in the fleet was swimming in the water, hanging out on the boats, and relaxing in the hot Arizona sun.

While the vibes were fantastic, the racing was quite the challenge. Wind can only be described as "non-existent" for most of Saturday and Sunday. Both days experienced long, multi-hour postponements, and when enough wind picked up to race, it was still only 2-5 kts. Despite that, Brendan and Sophie sailed excellently, getting two first-places on Saturday. Bella and Aneska also got a first place finish! 

In general, the team was frustrated with the light wind and the unpredictable sailing. Thankfully, the great energy of all the teams made the weekend worth it. ASU sent everybody home with a little live cactus to thank them for coming! Next year's Cactus cup can't come soon enough!