Michel Bourez Clinches 2025 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy

The Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Championship Trophy event came to a close last Thursday and Michel Bourez's journey was something no one could have scripted. The event itself stands as unlike any other competition on the planet. Known as the “world’s most luxurious surf contest,” it’s an invitation-only gathering where former world champions, Olympians, and rising stars compete across three board divisions, single-fin, twin-fin, and thruster,  before an all-or-nothing grand final decides the champion.

Now in its 13th edition held from September 4th to 11th, this contest delivered drama, resilience, and a finale worthy of surfing folklore.

A Line-Up of Legends 

This year’s field was stacked with surfing icons: Owen Wright (Australia), an Olympic bronze medalist and celebrated CT surfer; Michel Bourez (Tahiti), Pipe Master and Olympic competitor; Jesse Mendes (Brazil), a stylish tour veteran; and local wildcard Ismail “Smiley” Rasheed (Maldives). The event was also set to feature rising star Sierra Kerr, but illness forced her to withdraw just before the opening heats, reducing the field to five.

Her absence added a layer of unpredictability, giving some competitors a direct pass through the early rounds and reshaping the competition from the outset.

Single-Fin Division: Owen Wright Sets the Tone

The event opened at Sultans, a perfectly peeling right-hand reef break tailor-made for clean carves and classic lines. Riding retro single-fin boards, surfers were challenged to trade modern explosiveness for smooth rail work.

• Owen Wright off the rip asserted himself as the man to beat, combining raw power with timeless style. Even after battling an equipment hiccup in the semis, he regrouped to take the win.

  
  

• Michel Bourez pushed through with his trademark “Spartan” power surfing, adapting surprisingly well to the old-school craft and advancing to the final against Wright.

  
  
  
  

Wright’s victory in the opening division gave him the early momentum and leaderboard lead.

Twin-Fin Division: Momentum and Misfortune

The pace quickened in the twin-fin rounds, where speed and flow ruled.

• Wright carried his dominance forward, stringing together fast, fluid rides and securing his second consecutive division win.

  
  

• Bourez suffered a severe blow here — a torn hamstring sustained mid-heat that led many assuming it would end his campaign, but the Tahitian refused to withdraw, earning respect for his grit as much as his surfing.

  
  

By the end of the twin-fin division, Wright looked nearly untouchable, but Bourez’s determination kept the storyline alive.

Thruster Division: Bourez Strikes Back

The final preliminary stage returned competitors to their modern thrusters — the standard tool of today’s pros.

Despite his injury, Bourez produced one of the most inspiring performances of his career, channeling pain into pure power surfing. His massive carves and vertical blasts carried him past Jesse Mendes in the final, securing the division win and a ticket to the grand final showdown against Wright.

The Grand Final: A Perfect Ending

The stage was set for a dream finish: Wright, who had dominated the first two divisions, versus Bourez, who had defied injury to storm back in the third.

For most of the heat, Wright held the edge with calculated, high-scoring turns. But with only minutes remaining, fate delivered Bourez a flawless, barreling wave. The Tahitian threaded the tube with masterful precision, emerging with fists raised. The judges awarded a perfect 10, one of the rarest scores in professional surfing.

That single ride sealed his improbable comeback and crowned Michel Bourez the 2025 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy champion.

A Story for the Ages

This year’s edition embodied everything that makes the Surfing Champions Trophy so distinctive: elite surfers adapting to different eras of equipment, the raw beauty of Maldivian reef breaks, and storylines that blend sporting excellence with human resilience.

A victory — forged through pain, perseverance, and one unforgettable perfect ride reads like the perfect underdog story, one destined to be remembered as among the event’s greatest moments. 

Photo Credits: (surfingchampionstrophy.com)