Day 1 Photos • Day 1 Video
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (April 28, 2009) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star PRIME 6.0 Lowers Pro saw the opening day of America’s first ASP 6-Star PRIME event end in dramatic fashion when ASP World Tour rookie Michel Bourez (Toahotu, PYF), 23, delivered the day’s highest scores in the second-to-last heat of the day.

The 6.0 Lowers Pro’s ASP 6-Star PRIME status offers the maximum amount of points available for an ASP WQS even and a $145,000 prize purse, making the prestigious contest a significant stop on all competitors’ calendars in their quest towards qualification for the coveted ASP World Tour.

Bourez crushed the day’s highest single wave score when he annihilated an amazing Lowers lefthander, blasting several backside turns and earning a near-perfect 9.77 out of 10. The talented Tahitian then capitalized on a beautiful righthand wall and went ballistic on his forehand, donating another nine-point ride for the day’s highest heat total of 18.77 out of 20.

“That left came from nowhere,” Bourez said. “There were no waves in my heat and there was the first wave and the biggest set had came and all of the guys were paddling for it and I let it go. Just behind it was that sick left.”

“This is my first time here,” Bourez said. “Lowers is such a good wave and you have the left and the right on the main peak. It’s way different than most spots on the ‘QS because you have time enough to catch one or two of the best sets, so you don’t have to wait or change the way you act in the water.”

The powerful regular-footer is hoping to utilize his time at Lower Trestles as a good practice run before he tackles the world’s best at the Hurley Pro, mainland America’s only ASP World Tour event.

“That was my plan,” Bourez said. “It’s even better for me to come and practice here before the World Tour event, so it’s great. My coach has told me a lot about this wave and I think that’s what helped me in that heat.”

Sebastian Zietz (Hanalei, HI), 21, picked off one of the day’s best righthanders and unleashed a wrath of critical, fins-free turns to earn a 9.43 out of 10 on the way to his heat victory. The progressive regular-footer dropped a second solid score of a 7.33 while advancing into the Round of 96.

“I had been looking at it all morning and it has been mostly lefts, but that wave came in and it was just a perfect right,” Zietz said. “Dropping in, I just told myself to calm down and luckily I got a few good turns in on it.”

Zietz claimed the ASP Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge USA Qualifier last year, which runs in conjunction with the 6.0 Lowers Pro, and has now graduated from ASP Pro Junior competition to full-time ASP WQS status.

“Last year was my last year on the Pro Junior, so now I’m just doing the ‘QS,” Zietz said. “It’s been tough. I had only made one heat so far, so that was the second heat I’ve made this year. It’s definitely a lot tougher at these 6-Stars; the judges are a lot more critical and everybody rips.”

The talented regular-footer is looking to use his Round 1 success to build momentum throughout his 6.0 Lowers Pro campaign.

“It’s good to build up your speed in the early rounds,” Zietz said. “I’m sure if my seed is better for next year that it will be fun to be seeded straight into the later rounds too.”

Luke Dorrington (Coolangatta, AUS), 23, traveled over to the States from Australia on his own dime and the dedicated competitor surfed explosively in his opening round heat.

“Not being sponsored makes you try a bit harder, that’s for sure,” Dorrington said. “I’m just happy to be here and get a spot in the event. Trestles is a great wave, so it’s good to be a part of it.”

The Australian is out to post a solid result at Trestles so he can continue to fund his campaign on The Grind this year.

“I just want to do as many events as I can and make some money,” Dorrington said. “For now, I’m just going event-by-event and am working at home to fund my own trips for the moment.”

Tomorrow’s ASP 6-Star PRIME 6.0 Lowers Pro action will pick back up with Heat 5 of Round 2 at 8 a.m. and will see today’s top performers tackle the event’s top seeds, including several ASP World Tour surfers. World Tour veteran Damien Hobgood (Satellite Beach, FL), Simao Romao (BRA), Stuart Kennedy and Jesse Merle-Jones (HAW) will kick off the day in Heat 1.

Watch all of the LIVE action via www.nike6lowerspro.com. An enhanced quality webcast will be available for the last two days of competition exclusively at www.fuel.tv. The additional webcast, that rivals broadcast quality, is thanks to a partnership between Action Sports Group and FUEL TV.

The 6.0 Lowers Pro and Oakley Pro Junior wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of sponsors Nike 6.0 and Oakley, co-sponsor Red Bull, and media sponsors Surfer (surfermag.com), Surfing (surfingthemag.com), WaveWatch.com and FUEL TV.