2019 ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES
...and they're having a hard time keeping up.
Hello, my name is Ramzi Boukhiam.
I'm from Morocco, and I'm a professional surfer.
I always liked it, I always liked the vibe,
meeting everybody from a bunch of countries,
and just the whole energy of this event
is super great, I think.
I like the wind, it's all wide...
-Yeah, exactly. -I love that, yeah.
-All right, boys. -Good luck!
It's crazy, seriously, this event,
it's like a city.
Kolohe, Kelly, Gabriel, Ítalo,
it's like-- It's crazy. It's the top of the top, so...
to be able to surf with them, it's incredible.
I have a six ten, a six forty and a six seventy.
Something like that.
And which one is the best?
It's the one on the right.
-I'm good. -6.9.
6.9.
...the white.
First priority, green, second priority, yellow...
and third priority is with white.
Michel Bourez, France, at 3.17 for his opening ride.
Bourez, yellow, leading at 8.89.
France, on his way in, Michel Bourez.
We have 15 seconds remaining.
For us, city surfers, to qualify we have to be
in the first top ten on the tour.
So, which is your main, you know, concern for me
like, I want to be able to be in the top ten
by the end of this year. Yeah.
Oh, my God.
ALTHOUGH ELIMINATED IN MIYAZAKI, MICHEL SECURED
AN OLYMPIC SPOT THANKS TO HIS YEAR-END RANKING
ON THE WSL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR.
I think it's huge for surfing, to be in Olympics
just because it's gonna touch everyone else, so,
I'm pretty sure it's gonna go well.
The ocean is a little bit different
to other sports. It always changes.
You can look at the conditions and assess it all you want,
but then it might change instantly.
The wind might change or the tide might suck out,
and then that wave doesn't go there anymore.
Third, New Zealand, last up, yellow,
1.17, New Zealand still in third, needing a 5.18.
I did my best, I got a couple of waves...
DID NOT ADVANCE FAR ENOUGH IN REPECHAGE ROUNDS
TO SECURE AN OLYMPIC SPOT.
Yeah, I just-- I didn't get the result I wanted, obviously.
But I felt good with what I had
and what I could do, so...
Makes it a little easier
but, yeah, pretty bummed to lose.
Yeah, I wasn't too good.
The waves are pretty small.
Those guys surf great, you know, so...
I'm there with the better surfers in the 20 minutes...
J. WAS ELIMINATED IN MIYAZAKI BUT SECURED HIS OLYMPIC SPOT
BY FINISHING THE YEAR RANKED #3 ON THE WSL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR.
And, yeah, that's it. Life goes on, man.
There's like quite a few surprises.
You know some of the top professionals are--
are facing challenges,
on-- four people in the water heats.
And this is good.
It creates a lot of unexpected results.
Good morning, guys, good morning.
Today, is a very important day for us.
It's your time, bruh!
I never surfed waves like these, I--
I totally nervous.
Sometimes I see wave like this in US so, I...
HE DID NOT ADVANCE TO ROUND 6 AND GOES TO REPECHAGE.
I have this kind of experience so I'm ready.
We still need-- we have to prepare, go to the tower.
Still has no confirmation and we have to wait.
We have to standby, condition, like-- I don't know.
This is like a new swell, so messy.
I think I can do it, if I find the right waves.
You don't have to be scared,
always go for it.
In this competition,
I want to be number one in Asia.
Beat Kanoa, beat everybody,
and then I hope to qualify.
Waida Rio, you need a 8.9 to be first.
Yellow is in first.
Hiroto Ohhara for Japan is in first.
Go, Rio!
-Six minutes and 40 seconds. -Yeah!
Yes! Wait, wait.
Countdown. Yeah!
Counting down, five,
-four... -Four.
...three, two, one.
We need some of the big guys, so everybody is looking
at the big guys, you know.
So, if you're there beating with the big guys
you become slowly one of the--
one of the guy that people want to see.
The conditions, they were basically just like,
howling 30 knots winds and raining cats and dogs.
So, lot of waves, lot of action and pretty fair opportunities.
Yeah, I like the condition a lot.
Yellow is in the lead, second, white.
Needs a 7.67 to go to second.
And we are going to countdown in five,
four, three,
two, one.
KOLOHE ADVANCES TO NEXT ROUND
I got to definitely say, like, being on the same team
with Kelly has been...
something I'll remember for the rest of my life.
-Nice job! -Thanks.
He's so into it, and I can't believe
how motivated and psyched he is to rip and...
Hey, that thing was an A.
-Plus, that you pulled out. -Yeah. A nice one.
I-- I thought I broke myself.
Yeah, it's special for sure.
He's been on tour longer than I have been alive.
-Yeah! -Hey!
So, I've ticked my first goal, I can say that.
Which was to get a slot for Portugal in the Olympics,
I'm the best European in the comp.
FREDERICO MORAIS, PORTUGAL TOP EUROPEAN FINISHER
So, that one's done, which is great.
-Good luck! -Thank you.
I can't believe I'm still going,
so I'm really happy.
Today was tough. But I know I can beat them,
when it's my day,
and I feel good, I know I can beat them.