Watch: Eli Hanneman in ‘One More’

Currently ranked 26th on the CT after the opening two events in Hawaii, Maui native Eli Hanneman will need a couple of solid results between Portugal, Bells and Margies to stay on tour. 

After taking out the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach last season, Eli’s qualification prospects came down to the last event in Saquarema, where he needed at least a semi-finals finish to guarantee his spot at Pipe. Eli posted 16.83 points in the QF’s against CT veteran Michael Rodrigues to lock up both his and close friend Kade Matson’s slots on tour. 

It was alleged you could hear the celebratory screams 8248 miles away in Lahaina.

In his opening CT heat at Pipe, Eli caused further upset after sending 3x World Champ Gabriel Medina to the elimination round. Hanneman is currently 2/2 undefeated in three person, non-elimination heats – a weird flex, sure, but one that still demonstrates heat-winning abilities against the top seeds. 

“He needs to figure out how to draw on his Filipe Toledo, but be nothing like him,” CJ Hobgood told Stab in the 2024 Rookie Class review. “He needs to separate himself from Filipe, because if he shows the judges he’s a redux, he could get grilled. But if he shows up charging, being everything people wanted from Filipe, he could get a compound return on investment. It’s a fine line, and he needs to figure it out. It could be, like whatever Filipe has on his boards or wetsuits, go the exact opposite. If Filipe’s doing these airs, do different ones. But I don’t know… it could go either way for Eli.” 

It’s still early days, we’ll see how he bounces back come Portugal – I’d say CJ’s analysis is pretty bang on. Jeez, you wouldn’t back many guys to beat him on a crisp winter’s day in San Onofre state park. 

‘One More’ is filmed and edited by Kalani Minihan, the 2024 Filmers Cup winner who successfully dethroned Erik Knutson in an “alcohol endurance surf event” down at Ehukai beach park earlier this month.