Michel Bourez’s human strength triumphs over nature, WA

Is there anything quite as lovely as an autumn day suddenly interrupted by an eruption of hellfire? This is situation that beckons us on this spread, a slow-ish session in Western Australia during the waiting period for the Margaret River contest, but one enlivened by the Tahitian who, with two event wins this year, now finds himself as a world-title contender. “Thank god he paddled out,” says the photographer Tom Carey. “He fucking blew doors on everyone. So strong! Everyone else was trying to find their groove but he was already in his with that mix of power and flair. Other guys were searching for sections but he was going after it. He out-surfed everyone.”