Michel Bourez, Off The Wall, Hawaii

This is 25-year-old Tahitian Michel Bourez, at Off The Wall in Hawaii. Photog Jimmy Wilson, who fired off this doozy of an image, has been staying at the Nike house right there at Off The Wall. According to Jimmy, the lucky residents of the Nike house (Michel included) are living the good life. There’s a chef every day for lunch and dinner, as well as a masseuse.

Michel and Jimmy both feature in our hard cover book, out any day now. There’s some stellar water shots of Michel and some honest insights into the proud Tahitian’s mind, such as:

Stab: When you lie in bed, late at night in the dark, what do you think about?
Michel: 2012, the end of the world. I’ve been watching all those TV shows about the world ending in 2012. I think about that, and how to spend my money. Where could be good to spend my money. I don’t feel scared, if it’s the end of the world, it’s the end of the world for everyone, so there’s no difference if you’re rich or poor. So I just feel like I want to live as well as I can and make my girlfriend as happy as I can. I don’t really think it’ll end, but you never know. If it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen.”

Michel may be worried about the world’s demise in 2012, but for now he’s content with racing tunnels at Off The Wall. Photog Jimmy digs this shot, but thinks the next shot in the sequence would’ve been better: “I could’ve had a better shot of this on the next frame, but I lost focus because of those randoms in my way who aren’t even taking the photo. Shit happens. There’s normally more cameras than regular spectators on the beach here. It’s ridiculous. Everyone is a photographer or videographer.”