OK, so there’s a slight air of repetition to today’s report from Sea Otter; try as I might I can’t mask it, so figured honesty’s the only policy. If I’d been smart and actually planned ahead I would’ve realised that Saturday’s racing was exactly the same as the coverage I brought you yesterday, just in Pro flavour rather than Expert, and covered something different for the Friday, like DH practice. Mind you, then Sunday would be the same as Friday. See the dilemmas I have to deal with here?

There was one very distinctive and totally unwelcome change to the day’s experience, though – near gale force winds blew for the entire day, whipping up the dust from the bone dry ground into a sandblasting wall of misery for everyone out there on the hill, spectators and racers alike. Not that it stopped the world’s best from showing everyone how it’s done – Sam Schultz obliterated the field to win his first pro race in the Men’s Short Track, Sabrina Jonnier pipped out Melissa Buhl for the Slalom win and the Santa Cruz guys were no doubt satisfied with team riders Peaty and Minaar after their one-two on the podium.

I’ve since cancelled my spa treatments for the next six months, my skin is now exfoliated much more than I’d ever care for.

Strong winds whipped the expo area into a swirling dust-bowl – up on the hill the effect was much like being sandblasted.

The mad scramble at the start of the Womens’ Pro Short Track event – half an hour of sprinting, pain and lactic acid. It’s not freeriding, but it certainly is hardcore.

It doesn’t look like much of a climb, but keep doing it at full speed and pretty soon you’ll hurt too.

Man train!

He thinks it’s all over… but it isn’t. Ryan Trebon powers into the last lap, unaware that Sam Schultz is about to unleash the fury.

Sam Schultz, understandably happy at winning his first ‘proper’ race.

Sabrina Jonnier proves matching grips and wheels are not just for poseurs by winning the womens’ Pro event.

There’s a marked difference between the Pros and yesterday’s Expert racers – if you didn’t get it flat in the berms, you didn’t stand a chance.

What the.. ha… how?

Groms on course.

Mountain Biking: YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG.

Lopes looked smooth as ever and qualified top seed, but made a couple of mistakes that opened the door for Greg Minnaar.