HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Kaua‘i’s Bruce Irons has been invited to defend his title this year for the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave invitational to be held at Waimea Bay. “The Eddie” requires one day with a minimum
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Kaua‘i’s Bruce Irons has been invited to defend his title this year for the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave invitational to be held at Waimea Bay.
“The Eddie” requires one day with a minimum of 20-foot surf (Hawaiian scale) in order to run and has not run since 2004. The waiting period will begin with the opening ceremony on December 1 and hold until big surf comes or February 28.
Seventeen of the 28 invitees are from Hawai‘i, including past champions Clyde Aikau, Keone Downing, Noah Johnson and Irons.
His brother, Andy Irons, has also been invited.
It is the world’s most prestigious big-wave surfing event and is the only big-wave surf contest sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals, the governing body of professional surfing.
Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman, Eddie Aikau, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau gathers 28 of the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the world as polled by a comprehensive panel consisting of influential watermen, members of the surf industry, and internationally recognized surfing associations.
The first memorial event for Aikau was held in 1984 at Sunset Beach, two miles north of Waimea Bay. It was won by local standout Denton Miyamura. Following the inaugural event, The Eddie moved to Waimea Bay, where it has remained ever since. This year marks the event’s 24th anniversary. In only seven of those years have the waves been big enough and the conditions right to hold the contest.
In the realm of big-wave riding, the name Eddie Aikau commands as much respect as Waimea Bay itself. Aikau was the North Shore of O‘ahu’s first lifeguard, watching over the Bay when he wasn’t charging the biggest waves of the winter. Tragically, he lost his life in 1978, at the age of 33, during a re-creation of the Polynesian voyage between Hawai‘i and Tahiti. In huge seas, the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a was capsized. Eddie paddled off in an attempt to reach help for his fellow crewmen. He was never seen again but his spirit and legacy live on.
• The invitees:
Andy Irons (Hawaii)
Brian Keaulana (Hawai)
Brock Little (Hawaii)
Bruce Irons (Hawaii)
Carlos Burle (Brazil)
Clyde Aikau (Hawaii)
Darryl Virostko (California
Grant “Twiggy” Baker (South Africa)
Greg Long (California)
Ian Walsh (Hawaii)
Ibon Amatriain (Spain)
Jamie O’Brien (Hawaii)
Jamie Sterling (Hawaii)
Kelly Slater (Florida)
Keone Downing (Hawaii)
Makua Rothman (Hawaii)
Mark Healey (Hawaii)
Michael Ho (Hawaii)
Noah Johnson (Hawaii)
Peter Mel (California)
Ramon Navarro (Chile)
Ross Clarke-Jones (Australia)
Rusty Keaulana (Hawaii)
Shane Dorian (Hawaii)
Sunny Garcia (Hawaii)
Takayuki Wakita (Japan)
Tom Carroll (Australia)
Titus Kinimaka (Hawaii)
• The alternates
Kala Alexander (Hawaii) Aikau Pick
Garrett McNamara (Hawaii)
Darrick Doerner (Hawaii)
Reef McIntosh (Hawaii)
Tony Ray (Australia)
Anthony Tashnick (California)
Paul Patterson (Australia)
Nathan Fletcher (California)
Kalani Chapman (Hawaii)
Dave Wassel (Hawaii)
Taylor Knox (California)
Evan Slater (California)
Pancho Sullivan (Hawaii)
Derek Ho (Hawaii)
Danny Fuller (Hawaii)
Chava Greenlee (Hawaii)
Keoni Watson (Hawaii)
Manoa Drollet (Tahiti)
Myles Padaca (Hawaii)
Tony Moniz (Hawaii)
Ross Williams (Hawaii)
Ken “Skindog” Collins (California)
Koby Abberton (Australia)
Laurie Towner (Australia)
• Honorary invitees
Todd Chesser (Hawaii)
Mark Foo (Hawaii)
Tiger Espere (Hawaii)
Jay Moriarty (California)
Peter Davi (California)
