Michel Bourez wins the Vans World Cup of Surfing

Michel Bourez just won the 2014 Vans World Cup of Surfing and Dusty Payne qualified for the WSL in 2015. Hawaii has been very kind to Michel over the years. He’s won the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa twice, and made the final at Sunset last year. In fact, without this leg of the QS he wouldn’t have made the tour for the 2009 season. Now, he adds a Sunset victory to a crowded list of accolades on the North Shore and, sitting in second on the Vans Triple Crown ratings, could soon add another. “I’m exhausted,” said the Spartan after the win. “Sunset is a tricky wave, you have to surf here for a long time to figure out the spot. Even still, you can get caught and you need to stay focused and stick to your game plan. Now, I need to win Pipe.” “It’s going to take a lot to do well next year and I know exactly what I have to do to win events in 2015. I’m going to try to do my best to stay in the Top 3 and stay close to the World Title. It felt great this year to be close and touch it a little bit.” For Dusty Payne, who finished runner-up to Michel ahead of Sebastian Zietz and Ian Walsh, just making the final was enough to get a start on next year’s WSL. After falling off tour in 2013, Dusty underwent knee surgery, grew a beard, added a bucket hat to his dome and learned how to win heats again. It was a year-long plan to return to tour, but it’s happened in the last few weeks. And, we couldn’t be happier. “I feel like I’ve closed that chapter in the book,” said Dusty. “And I’m just happy to be surfing and healthy again. My approach to next year will be no different than the way I’ve approached these events here. I’m just looking forward to Pipe and getting barrelled!” And, we’ll see Dusty in the Billabong Pipe Masters since C.J. Hobgood white flagged due to a foot injury. After today’s results, the following will qualify for the WSL through their WQS rankings: Matt Banting, Julian Wilson, Adam Melling, Matt Wilkinson, Jeremy Flores, Wiggolly Dantas, Jadson Andre, Italo Ferreira, Dusty Payne and Keanu Asing. Brett Simpson and Ricardo Christie could qualify if Julian Wilson and Jadson Andre hold their current CT positions. And, if Melling and Wilkinson climb into the top 22 after Pipe, Tomas Hermes and Garrett Parkes could be on the WSL.

news // Mar 8, 2016

Words by stab

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Michel Bourez just won the 2014 Vans World Cup of Surfing and Dusty Payne qualified for the WSL in 2015.

Hawaii has been very kind to Michel over the years. He’s won the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa twice, and made the final at Sunset last year. In fact, without this leg of the QS he wouldn’t have made the tour for the 2009 season.

Now, he adds a Sunset victory to a crowded list of accolades on the North Shore and, sitting in second on the Vans Triple Crown ratings, could soon add another. “I’m exhausted,” said the Spartan after the win. “Sunset is a tricky wave, you have to surf here for a long time to figure out the spot. Even still, you can get caught and you need to stay focused and stick to your game plan. Now, I need to win Pipe.”

“It’s going to take a lot to do well next year and I know exactly what I have to do to win events in 2015. I’m going to try to do my best to stay in the Top 3 and stay close to the World Title. It felt great this year to be close and touch it a little bit.”

For Dusty Payne, who finished runner-up to Michel ahead of Sebastian Zietz and Ian Walsh, just making the final was enough to get a start on next year’s WSL. After falling off tour in 2013, Dusty underwent knee surgery, grew a beard, added a bucket hat to his dome and learned how to win heats again. It was a year-long plan to return to tour, but it’s happened in the last few weeks. And, we couldn’t be happier.

“I feel like I’ve closed that chapter in the book,” said Dusty. “And I’m just happy to be surfing and healthy again. My approach to next year will be no different than the way I’ve approached these events here. I’m just looking forward to Pipe and getting barrelled!”

And, we’ll see Dusty in the Billabong Pipe Masters since C.J. Hobgood white flagged due to a foot injury.

After today’s results, the following will qualify for the WSL through their WQS rankings: Matt Banting, Julian Wilson, Adam Melling, Matt Wilkinson, Jeremy Flores, Wiggolly Dantas, Jadson Andre, Italo Ferreira, Dusty Payne and Keanu Asing.

Brett Simpson and Ricardo Christie could qualify if Julian Wilson and Jadson Andre hold their current CT positions. And, if Melling and Wilkinson climb into the top 22 after Pipe, Tomas Hermes and Garrett Parkes could be on the WSL.

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