Jeff Hakman

Jeff Hakman is a world class explorer, pioneer, retired business executive, and a Master Story Teller as well as a leader intent to help mankind move, “Over the Edge” into its Golden Age where Aloha pervades evolution.

Jeff embraces challenges and as a Champion Jeff knows that reaching success is a hero’s journey, a life journey composed of adventures, trials, crisis, heart break, tears, laughs, Joy and treasures.

Its a journey without a map and where your heart tends to lead.

Jeff naturally exudes the energetic, emotional, essence of surfing called “Stoke” and by the way… Jeff Hakman is an Inductee into the Surfing Hall of Fame.

Jeff is a Survivor and he well understands that success is not an end point but a process. A process that, depending upon the level of the challenge, can knock you down to the lowest lows before you get to experience the fruits of success.

Today Jeff celebrates being an Ex-professional surfer, father of two wonderful children, a global surfing pioneer of remote surfing locations and a source of inspiration for both amateur and professional Surfers as well as being a Co-founder of Quiksilver USA and Quiksilver Europe, but most importantly a Grateful Survivor of his own challenging Journey with awesome loving friends.

The Synopsis of Jeff’s Journey

Jeff Hakman, is also known as “Mr. Sunset” for his control and precision at his favorite Surfing spot on the island of Oahu’s North shore-- Sunset Beach.

From 1965 to 1976 Jeff Hakman dominated Surf contest performances at the North shores powerful Sunset Beach, he’s a big wave rider, contest winner, pioneer surf industry businessman, and legendary hell raiser through five turbulent decades as well as a coral reef explorer in the South Pacific with his old friend and fellow big wave rider Dr. Ricky Grigg .

Jeff began surfing with his professional diver and Surfer father at the age of 8 in 1956.

( photo - Jeff with his first Surf Board)

He found an attraction for big waves at the ripe old age of 15 years when he paddled out and rode massive

Waimea Bay Surf on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii

And he still rides big waves on the north shore of Kauai after 70 years on earth.

Jeff's contest accomplishments began by winning the first Duke Kahanamoku contest, a 24 man invitational contest in honor of Duke Kahanamoku, at Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii in 1965 at age 17.

Winning this prestigious event was an important win for Jeff but the real prize for Jeff was the Aloha passed on to him from the Duke , the father of modern surfing, that touched his young heart and soul.

That first competitive television event was covered by ABC's Wide World of Sports, and he ended his professional surfing career being the first foreigner to ever win the prestigious Bells Beach contest in Torquay Australia in 1976.

(Below - Jeff at 12 years of age - 1961 Interview)

Jeff won two other prestigious Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Championships in 1970 and 1971.

He also won the first now legendary Pipeline Masters contest in 1971, which is one of the most deadly and perfect waves in the world held at Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on O'ahu's North Shore.

( Below - Jeff and Fred Hemmings)

Jeff went on to win the Durban 500 in South Africa in 1972 and had numerous other titles and placings over 12 long years of professional surfing.

He has mentored numerous upcoming amateurs on their path to becoming professional surfers.

Jeff Hakman contest achievements among Many Others:

1 st Place Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship 1965 (he was 17 years old)

1 st Place Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship 1971

1 st Place Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship 1972

1 st Place Hang Ten America Pro Surfing Championship 1973

1 st Place Hang Ten America Pro Surfing Championship 1974

1 st Place Durban 500 South Africa Surfing Championship 1972

1 st Place Pipeline Masters 1971

2 nd Place Smirnoff Pro Surfing Championship 1972

2 nd Place Smirnoff Pro Surfing Championship 1973

2 nd Place Smirnoff Pro Surfing Championship 1974

1 st Place Bells Beach Australia 1976

In 2009 Jeff had the honor of being inducted into The Surfing Hall of Fame

And in 2017 He was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach California

Timmy Reyes, Jim Jenks, Jeff Hakman, Pam Burridge, Barton Lynch,

. Photo: Mike Cianciulli

Business Life

In 1976 Jeff founded Quiksilver USA ( one of the largest action sportswear companies in the world) and was President of Quiksilver with Partner Bob McKnight.

In 1984 he founded Quiksilver Europe with Harry Hodge, Bridgitte Darrigrand, and John Winship.

In 2008 Jeff was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award at Eurosima in France.

Future Projects:

Developing Heart Wave Adventure’s Surf Till 100 Online Educational Programs
Holding Fun, Adventurous, Health, Personal Development Retreats in various Surf Spots around the World through Surf Till100 / Heart Wave Adventures with Felipe Pomar and Tom Woods
Supporting Reef Guardians Hawaii, developing environmental advocates to help safeguard life on earth for all species.
Helping develop renewable Energy Plants and environmentally friendly advanced materials like Graphene
Developing Real Estate Projects for People who desire to live in Beautiful locations and help them secure the home of their dreams
Build an Eco Education Resort in Santa Catarina Brazil.

Environmental Activism: Following in the footsteps of his father and now deceased old friend Dr. Ricky Grigg, in learning the value of our coral reefs, Jeff is a supporter of Reef Guardians Hawaii, a nonprofit program dedicated to protecting our coral reefs and to inform, educate and create programs that actively get children a direct experience of and appreciation for the reefs and there inhabitants.

Jeff and the Heart Wave Adventure Team are committed to helping raise the awareness of the need for humanity to be more responsible as stewards of our environment and to develop leaders that will help influence other in becoming active environmental advocates.

http://reefguardianshawaii.org/

The Future

As a founder of Heart Wave Adventures Jeff is dedicating his remaining time on earth to share the life lessons he has learned .

From challenging big Sunset Beach waves at 14 years old to unprecedented surfing success, to founding a multi billion dollar corporation, to the depths of addiction, to health and back to where it all started—surfing big waves in Hawaii, Jeff is still stoked!

He has learned valuable life lessons and wants to share these with you as you travel on your hero’s journey!

Jeff Hakman has been through the “School of Hard Knocks “ and today he dedicates the rest of the years of his life here on good old planet earth to help others, those who want to make a difference, live a healthy , happy and peaceful life filled with Aloha, Joy and Freedom

Jeff Loves: hanging on the beach with his family and snowboarding fresh powder with his son.

As a master story teller he loves sharing the stoke of Surfing and lessons that he has learned in life from overcoming life's challenges , helping people grow while on their hero’s Journey and riding big waves at Hanalei Bay on Kauai .

“I’m so thankful to be surfing big waves with 70 years on the planet. I look forward to helping others on their Heart Wave Adventure”. - Jeff Hakman