Pocket 9s

Michel Bourez has had one of his consistent and successful World Tour years to date that’s been built on completely on a foundation of ninth place finishes. Now, with his hometown event just around the corner, Michel is looking to break his ninth-place hoodoo. Waves was fortunate enough to sit briefly the Tahitian to discuss the rest of the year, his plans and his forthcoming child to girlfriend Vaimiti.

You’re seventh in the world, how do you feel right now?

I feel great. Just to make the top-10 before Chopes is such a good thing for me and I’m looking forward to the next tour event at home.

You prepared?

I’ve been prepared since I’ve been on the ‘CT, Teahupoo is why I wanted to be on the tour. I wanted to be part of the contest. Not the trials, but the main event. It’s why I did the WQS.

You seem to be Mr. Consistent on the tour?

That’s heavy. It’s weird, I have four ninths. I feel confused, I want to make the quarters so bad. It’s a good thing and a bad thing, I think I just need to do a little extra to make the quarter-finals and I know when I get there I do that extra stuff I can get some good results.

Have you been training pretty hard to get over those ninths?

I’ve been surfing more than training. I didn’t really train that much this year, just stretching and doing little things. I just focus on surfing and surf as much as I can. I just put my mind to surfing. Right now, when I get home I might train for a little bit because there’s going to be a long leg so it’s going to be hard. I need to be ready physically.

Michel and his brother Kevin share a session at Chopes.

You’re going to be a Dad soon too huh?

Yeah I’m going to be a Dad. It’s a great feeling. It’s strange, I’ve never felt this way before. Vaimiti is three months pregnant, so we don’t know the sex yet, but it’s exciting.

You got names picked out?

Yeah, I was born in the Tuamotus Island and my Mum was from another island, so I might find a name from that island. Vaimiti’s grandmother was from there too, so it might work well.

Has it changed you at all?

Yeah. It’s totally different, before I knew what I had to do, but now I have to be ready for a baby. Everything is going to be about that.

Well, congrats mate, so what’s your plans for the rest of the year?

It’s not going to change anything about my surfing. I’m just going to so what I need to do and focus on surfing, but I’m also going to go home and take care of my child. It’s going to be different, but maybe when my child gets a bit bigger they’ll travel with me too.

Teach them to surf Chopes early?

Yeah, push them on waves at three years old (laughs).