"… the best day I've had in surfing!"

Red Bull Rising participant Michel Bourez (FRA) is the second junior surfer, after his compatriot Tim Boal, to qualify for the World Tour of surfing. On November 22, the 22-year-old Frenchman claimed the victory in the Reef Hawaiian Pro contest in the surfing mecca.

Tahiti’s Michel Bourez won the $135,000 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Reef Hawaiian Pro on November 22 and guaranteed his place in the elite ASP World Championship tour for 2009. Bourez rocketed up to number two in the WQS rankings and capped one of the best days professional surfing has seen in many, many, years. “This goes beyond everything I have ever dreamed of,” beamed an ecstatic Bourez after the final. “To qualify for the elite tour was the major goal, as I’ve worked and trained so hard. It was to also win my first event in Hawaii in perfect waves. I really can’t believe it!”

Conquering the break of Haleiwa

Starting out in 17th place in the WQS rankings prior to this, the penultimate event of the year-long tour, Bourez needed a solid result to move up into the all important top 15, and from the start dominated all his heats. “This morning the surf was small and a bit inconsistent, but I still felt strong and relaxed, and then as the surf improved all day I just started loving it more and more,” Michel said. This culminated in an epic semi-final performance where Bourez exited from one of the longest tubes ever seen at the fabled break of Haleiwa, scoring a near perfect 9.97 out of 10.

Perfect waves

“That wave was just perfect,” Bourez said leaving the water. “I was actually just screaming when I was in the tube, and then screaming as I paddled back out,” he laughed. “To be getting these epic waves in Hawaii, when it all mattered so much, was beyond anything I’ve ever done. This is by far the best day I’ve had in surfing.” The Frenchman took that form into the final, racking up more incredible tubes, scoring 16.77 points out of 20, and emphatically securing his place in the elite tour 2009.

Sign of things to come

Bourez, who has been part of Red Bull Rising elite athlete program for 2009, was quickly embraced by Rising coach Andy King, who predicted even more success for the stylish natural footer. “Without doubt he’s one of the most explosive surfers on the planet and today he’s earned the result that his talent and hard work deserves,” said King, who has travelled with Bourez to every event this year. “The guy is a credit to the sport and to himself. I actually think I might be the only guy here happier than him right now”, he laughed.

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