Every now and then a surfer will come along that offers a glimpse into the future. Kelly Slater did it, so too John John Florence and Gabriel Medina, but not at the age of 16 (or fifteen if you go by when the majority of this footage was captured).
The game Eli Hanneman possesses is horrifyingly good for someone so young, and it’s not a stretch to say he would do damage in the right world tour event, potentially even take the thing out. It’s a huge call, but watch this clip and tell me he couldn’t win heats against the world’s best.
The only other thing you’ve gotta ask is what this kid could be doing at 19 – 21 when his body catches up with his talent. Whatever it is, we look forward to seeing it.