The Spartan Tears His Hamstring, Wins World’s Most Lavish Surf Contest Anyway

Originally posted on SURFER | By August Howell | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 2:29 PM ET

Michel Bourez, a former Championship Tour vet of 12 years, earned the nickname “The Spartan” because of his athletic physique and approach to full-rail hacks. In Ancient Greece, the Spartan army was renowned for its bravery in battle and ability to soldier on in the face of overwhelming odds.

While demolition of picture-perfect Sultans is a far cry from the Battle of Thermopylae, what the Spartan achieved in the Maldives this week required mental and physical fortitude. After partially tearing his hamstring in a twin-fin heat days earlier, the 39-year-old Tahitian came out swinging in the next round, dropped a 10-point ride, won the thruster division and then claimed the Grand Final of the 2025 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy.

The perfect score came in the form of a long, rifling tube in the last minute of the final, lifting Michel into the top spot, which earned him a $25,000 payday. “I was so happy to be on that wave at that time of the heat,” a beaming Michel said. “Someone sent me that wave, for sure.”

This year’s invitational, hosted by the Four Seasons Resort and hailed as the world’s most luxurious surf contest, was a mix of freesurfing talent and steely (former) competitors: Owen Wring, Craig Anderson, Jesse Mendes, Sierra Kerr, and Maldivian wildcard Ismail “Smiley” Rasheed. From the jump, it was the Owen show. The 2020 Olympic bronze medalist whose wingspan would put an albatross to shame won both the single fin and twin fin divisions, but fell early in the thruster round. It was just Owen and Michel sharing the lineup at the end of the day in the Grand Final. Two CT vets, two different approaches, and heaps of good waves.

The Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy may be a novel contest, but it’s brilliant marketing for the Four Seasons on Kuda Huraa. The waves are undeniably fun, the talent eager, and the setting too good to fail. Full salute to the Spartan on this one.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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