Photo: ASP World Tour rookie Michel Bourez (PYF) from Tahiti is much expected for his start as a fulltime touring competitor and will be a favorite when the tour hits Teahupoo where he already expressed his talent a couple of years ago… [Copyright: QUIKSILVER]

Michel Bourez, 23, second Tahitian ever to enter the ASP Top 45 elite circle, will head for the Gold Coast of Australia in a month to surf his first Dream Tour event as a fulltime touring competitor. Bourez, who will be part of an unprecedent 7-Man European contingent on this year’s ASP World Tour, is seen as one of the best newcomers and is expected to cause some serious damage against the big names. Here’s the latest he sent from French Polynesia.

“Since the win at the ASP WQS 6-Star Prime Reef Hawaiian Pro, so many things have changed in my life and it seems like everything is different now. There has been big talks with sponsors, I feel like people see me differently now but above all is the fact I have achieved my dream by qualifying for the ASP World Tour. I am going to compete against surfing’s best athletes and I now have the possibility of winning a world title. How is that!

Since I returned from Hawaii, I’ve spent lots ot time with my family and all my friends, I’ve been celebrating a lot and enjoying a great break so I feel like I am definitely ready to start thinking about what is coming up. I am already focused on the first event starting in a month and I am going to be surfing and training to get there as fit as possible and start well.

I just returned from a surf trip to the Marquesas islands in French Polynesia, near Tahiti where I live. It was such a great time with my friends and the photographer Tim McKenna who lives in Tahiti, it felt like time had stopped there for a week. People live in the wild nature, they are so nice and it just makes you feel great and happy. We stayed on Hiva Oa, an amazing island with unbelievable waves and amazing landscape. We thought we were back in time out there…

I am back in Tahiti now and am planning on spending time with my girlfriend and just surf as much as I can. I feel like I want to surf every day all day and I am hungrier than ever. Can’t wait to go to Australia and surf in the first event!”