From Bull Bay, Jamaica, one of the island’s brightest surf standouts, Elishama Beckford, has signed a sponsorship deal with Hurley.
Beckford states, “…by putting in the work and having the right people by my side, I was able to see things truly align, making it possible for me to show my authentic personality and style. My unique approach to the sport of surfing has attracted the attention of the surf community globally. Through this movement, I have been able to work with some of the best people and companies in the surfing world.”
The sponsorship, which represents Hurley’s investment in the future of Jamaican surfing, is well timed for Elishama Beckford, who will be training as an anticipated Olympic standout ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, where professional surfing will be an official sport for the first time ever.
Hurley representative Pat Towersey stated. “When I first met Shama, I knew he was special — he carries himself in a humble, yet confident way and has an amazing soul that shines through in everything he does. When I saw him in the water, my jaw dropped; he is the real deal. There are very few athletes on his level that are relatively unknown, and Hurley is committed to bringing his surfing to the masses. Look out world: Shama has arrived.”
In 2017, Beckford was invited to California by Hurley to compete in the trials for a championship tour event at Trestles ..this gave him the opportunity, as he put it, “to learn the ins and outs of the surf industry and culture, which was highly beneficial to my career and will help to further guide my path to becoming a better athlete and ambassador for my country”.
Capping off an eventful year, Shama was then invited to the Hurley house in Hawaii. On this first-time trip to the lands where the sport of surfing originated, Shama was able to experience the raw power of the waves produced by the Pacific Ocean. This experience allowed him to develop friendships with top athletes in the surfing world. Shama described that time by saying: “Staying at the Hurley house with the likes of Michele Bourez, Julian Wilson and Brett Simpson was true motivation. My trip to Hawaii was a huge achievement for myself and also Jamaican surfing, as being the first Jamaican professional surfer to surf the world-famous Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu.”
Looking ahead, Beckford is excited to see what the future brings. “I plan to continue breaking down barriers and building the movement so that one day any child in Jamaica will have the opportunity to experience the sport of surfing and pursue careers in it.”
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