"the Eddie" is on! The surfers know what I mean.
The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest is on today from Waimea Bay in Hawaii.
The contest can run only on a day when wave-faces are consistently hitting 40 feet. It has been completed only seven times in its previous 24 years. The last time it ran was December 2004.
The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest is on today from Waimea Bay. There is some LIVE coverage.
"the Eddie" is eagerly awaited every year in the North Shore of Oahu but it is on only when conditions are right for the contest. Only seven contest have been run over its 24 years.
From the Quiksilver web page we can learn about the contest and about Eddie Aikau.
The contest:
In the winter of 1984/'85, the first Eddie Aikau Memorial was held at Sunset Beach. The next winter Quiksilver took this event to a new level, relocating it to Waimea Bay . They invited big wave specialists from around the world, and provided a platform for showcasing the sport's high-end, and performance levels went through the roof.
In terms of big-wave riding in its purest form, tow-in is no match for the sheer skill required of one man to paddle himself into giant waves. If 30 to 35-feet is the limit to self propultion then so be it. Despite the advent of towing in, Waimea's stature was in tact; it proves the ultimate challenge of man versus the sea. With its ancient roots and the energy of its forefathers, Waimea was still deemed to be the soul of big-wave riding.
Eddie Aikau:
Eddie Aikau was born on Maui in 1946. He began surfing at 11, and moved to Oahu in 1959.
By the mid-'70s, Eddie's passion for big wave riding was not his only driving force. The Hawaiian cultural renaissance was in full swing and Aikau was feeling the pull to dig deeper into the roots of his Hawaiian heritage. Following his win of the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational at Sunset Beach in the winter of 1977, his focus shifted to the Hokule'a.
The Hokule'a set sail on the stormy afternoon of March 16, 1978, in strong winds that were whipping up heavy seas. Not far into the journey, Hokule'a developed a leak in one of her hulls, later capsizing during the night in the Moloka'i Channel. After weathering the night, and with the physical state of crewmembers deteriorating, Aikau insisted upon paddling for the Hawaiian island of Lana'i, estimated to be some 19 miles away. It would be the final rescue attempt of his life. While the crew aboard Hokule'a were later spotted by a passing plane and rescued, Aikau was never seen again. He was two months shy of his 32nd birthday.
Updated: The Quiksilver web site is a better site to watch now - was not up earlier.