For the first half of his Round Four heat win over Leonardo Fioravanti and Italo Ferreira, Michel Bourez was tube-hunting. But after a series of mid-range scores from snug shacks, the Tahitian shifted gears and waited for waves with more open face. The astute tactical adjustment paid off for the veteran in the form of the highest single-wave score of the round -- a 9.00 -- on a wave featuring a number of backside lip hammers completely in rhythm. It's the type of speed, power and flow upon which the Spartan has built his reputation. That combo allowed him to play straight into the scoring criteria on a day when it was difficult to stand out. He'll get the winner of the Leo Fioravanti vs. Ian Gouveia matchup in the Quarterfinals.
