Hurley Surfer Eli Hanneman Wins the Wallex US Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Aug. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Iconic action sports brand, Hurley is thrilled Eli Hanneman came out on top in Huntington Beach, CA winning the Wallex US Open of Surfing presented by Pacifico, stop No. 4 on the World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series. The longtime Hurley team rider delivered a thrilling performance to earn him the the biggest win of his career. Hanneman wasted no time and completed a combination of major maneuvers to earn a near-perfect 9.00, the highest score of the day - all while his friends and family watched from the front row of the sand, eventually pouring into the waves to celebrate him as his win was finalized.

"This feels fake! To win a contest I grew up watching all of my heroes win is unbelievable. It's a feeling I will never forget and I'm excited to keep the momentum going!" says Hanneman. The victory has sent Eli Hanneman rising up the rankings. He now sits at No. 4 and is a CT qualification contender, along with Hurley's Kade Matson sitting at No. 10. 

"He's been a phenomenon from a very young age from the Hawaiian island of Maui! He's inspired the next generation to follow their dreams and fly high in the sky, no pun intended, as in surfing aerial maneuvers" says Brett Simpson, Hurley's Head of Sport Marketing. 

Eli Hanneman has been surfing for Hurley for over 10 years, and despite his young age has already experienced the ups and downs that come with professional surfing. A few years ago at Pipeline, Hanneman slammed into a reef resulting in serious injury. He spent many months in recovery, but never never lost faith in himself. His determination and hard work quickly put him back in fighting form and paid off with a win at the US Open of Surfing with his family and friends cheering him on.

"It's been an honor having Eli as a Hurley team rider and so exciting to follow his growth over recent years. He's one of the most skilled surfers and I can't wait to see his next moves. It's thrilling to watch him," says Ralph Gindi, COO of Bluestar Alliance. "Hanneman has evolved to become a true leader on the Hurley Team and many of our young surfers look up to him as a role model. He's an example of how dedication and team sportsmanship can lead to success, both competitively and on a personal level," Gindi adds.

Fans can find their favorite Hurley styles, plus new Hurley Phantom Boardshorts and Carissa Moore's Swim Collection, in stores and at www.hurley.com.

Catch all the highlights at WorldSurfLeague.com and follow @hurley on Instagram.

ABOUT HURLEY:

Born from water, Hurley was founded in Huntington Beach in 1999 on the principle of empowering and fueling the voice of the next generation. Through the lens of inclusion, Hurley has partnered with the world's best surfers, snowboarders, skateboarders, musicians and artists, and is an iconic global youth culture brand with roots sunk deep in beach lifestyle. Disruptive innovation is our unique blend of style and performance, and has Hurley sitting as the global benchmark for performance both in and out of the water. The world of Hurley can be found on www.hurley.com, and our Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram are where our journeys are logged.

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SOURCE Hurley