In case you haven’t heard, Hurley is building an army of miniature mutant super surfers. None of them are old enough to vote or buy nudie mags, yet they are seasoned beyond their years in wave-riding. They’re like the surf world’s version of Beethoven or Lil Bow Wow from Like Mike – absolute freaks of nature for their age. And the latest clip from Hurley’s ongoing Youth series zeros in on 12-year-old Maui shredder, Eli Hanneman.
Most kids at 12 are concerned with cartoons and a blossoming yet juvenile intrigue with the opposite sex. But those things aside, Hanneman has the focus of a true professional. “I want people to think my surfing is perfect, flawless,” he says. “I wanna prove to everybody that I’m an all-around surfer. Not just some guy who can only do airs or a guy who can only charge and can’t surf small waves. I want to be able to do everything.” If that’s not telling of a promising career, then we don’t know what is.
Then the clip goes on to show Hanneman surfing around home in Lahaina and a few other places. And he’s not kidding when it comes to his dedication to variety. He’s got barrels. He’s got power carves. And he’s got an above-the-lip arsenal. If you look closely at the 1:25 mark, he literally does an air reverse over another surfer.
