Surf Till 100 Legendary Surfer Jeff Hakman Shares Insight On Surfing Culture

Princeville, Hawaii -

Princeville, HI based Surf Till 100 is pleased to share a few insights on the importance of preserving and passing on surfing culture with their community, courtesy of legendary surfer Jeff Hakman. Along with Felipe Pomar and Tom Woods, two similarly accomplished surfers, Surf TIll 100 seeks to cultivate surfing as a sport and a lifestyle, while maintaining an awareness and connection to the environment. In particular, the group focuses their efforts on preserving the oceans and beaches that host their beloved sport.

Echoing the perspective of the trio as a whole, Hakman wrote a blog post titled The Thrill of Victory. In it, he shares the belief that surfers have the advantage of thriving in a culture that is, “centered on a love of the ocean and the art of surfing,” a belief that stems from his own childhood. He explains that this overriding drive to respect and protect their aquatic playground gave him and his peers a host of secondary benefits that improved their lives. For instance, he points out that, “In the culture of North Shore Surfers that I was a part of, the importance of health was understood. Health was a primary necessity to surf and dive all the time. I don’t remember anyone being overweight.”

In addition to a healthy lifestyle, the surfing legend states that growing up around like-minded individuals gave him a sense of belonging and instilled in him several characteristics that contributed to his growth as a person. Each of his mentors shared a unique perspective of the sport they all loved, and their ideals made an impression on the young Hakman. He explains that there were, “more than mental and physical skills that my mentors shared with me. The Duke showed his humility, his presence and pure emotion of ‘Aloha’ to me. I learned how to be relaxed and totally at ease in the ocean from Buffalo Keaulana. Conrad Cunha taught me ‘Patience’ as he would sit in the lineup letting all but the most perfect waves pass by which he was sure to get. Paul Strauch added the skill of ‘Timing;’ both Conrad and Paul were great examples of exercising the ability to stay in the moment to get the best waves that nature had to offer.”

He continues, “I felt blessed and I had total respect for these incredible people that had touched my heart, and I was extremely grateful for the knowledge that they shared with me on my journey to become a Champion.” A Champion, as the organization explains, is an individual who has brought about positive physical, mental, and spiritual changes that are permanent, self-perpetuating, and momentum building. Surf Till 100 considers it part of their mission to help their students and associates achieve this status in their own lives through the art of surfing—alongside a mutual love of the ocean and all it has to offer. For their own part, each Founder enthusiastically asserts that their own journeys as Champions is not over. Echoing the organization’s name, they hold the desire to keep surfing (and guiding new generations of surfers) until they reach 100 years of age.

Similarly, Halman muses that, “I think a lot of people are in this same position, missing that feeling of being a Champion in life. We go into the office, live in a comfort zone, watch the clock at work, are overweight, and—in our hearts—we’re not passionate or loving what we are doing.” Instead, he believes that people should commit to doing what they love, “intentionally, with a sense of purpose, something that makes us feel alive! Surrounding yourself with people that have the same values you respect is so important. This, I learned at an early age from my surfing mentors, so learn from my example—stay in a healthy culture!”

Those who wish to learn more may read the blog post in full by looking up the organization’s newsletter here: https://home.surftill100.com/GWw24. Surfers and other ocean enthusiasts are also invited to sign up for the free newsletter and follow the organization to stay up to date with new posts. Additionally, they may contact Tom Woods of Surf Till 100 to follow up on any further inquiries.