Watch "NORTH" — A new short film by Eli Hanneman and Kalani Minihan

Eli Hanneman was determined to elevate his game at Pipe this year. Widely known as one of the future’s best aerial surfers (as you’ll see in the first 3:00), he was ready to clock overtime in the heavy stuff to round out his game this year. And all was going swimmingly until his board speared him during a session in January, lacerating his pancreas and gashing his head to the tune of 16 stitches. End of season.

But before that happened, Eli had been on a tear and we finally get to see exactly how hard he was going in his new vid “North” that documents the time up to that point.