Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau ends today

January 20 had big sets, but lacked 'Eddie' consistency © Chase Olivieri

26th Annual Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau
Fueled by Monster

ASP Specialty Event
Waimea Bay Oahu, Hawaii
1 December 2010 - 28 February 2011

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Three-month holding period for Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau ends today

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 February, 2011 : - - Waimea Bay -- The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, officially draws to a close today. The event was poised to run on January 20 this year as thousands of spectators joined competitors at Waimea's hallowed shoreline, but inconsistent 20-foot surf resulted in a 'No Go'.

That call drew overwhelming support of the event's uncompromising standards. 'The Eddie' was last held in December of 2009. Since its inception in the winter of 1984/85, it has only been held eight times. We look forward to the official opening ceremony of the 27th annual Eddie on December 1, 2011.

"It has been said many times that it is the year's we don't go that make The Eddie so special, and this past winter season proved that," said George Downing, Contest Director. "When you are standing on the beach at Waimea the atmosphere is electrifying with all who have gathered to see the Bay at its best. The overwhelming support of our call to wait showed how special Eddie's name and legacy is to people, no matter how much we would all love to see the event go.

"On behalf of the Aikau family, and Quiksilver, I would like to extend a sincere mahalo to the invitees who traveled so far in the hopes that the event would run; to the supporters who joined us at the beach; and to the City & County of Honolulu who worked with us to take safety and preparation to an unprecedented level. The integrity of this event remains intact and is something we can all be very proud of."

Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman and first lifeguard at Waimea Bay, Eddie Aikau, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, is the most prestigious and longest-standing big-wave surfing contest in the world. It is the only big-wave surf contest sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing.

The Invitee list is comprised of 28 of the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the world. During the three-month event window, these surfers are on stand-by for that rare day when Waimea Bay truly comes to life, delivering thundering waves in excess of 40-foot faces (20-foot Hawaiian scale).

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau is the world's longest running and most prestigious big-wave invitational and is the only one sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing.

What began as a local tribute to one of Hawaii's favorite surfing sons in 1984, soon took on a life all its own and the story is the reason why this event continues to grow. Eddie Aikau has come to personify all of the human qualities we honor today: respect, humility, passion, and a love for fellow man. Waimea Bay was the canvas upon which his story is told each year, in his memory. For over 25 years, it is a story that has traversed the globe to touch hearts, minds and imaginations: a life lived with passion, dedicated with meaning, and exited from heroically.

Just 31 years of age when he lost his life in an attempt to save others, Aikau has physically been gone longer - 33 years - than he was here. But far from being forgotten, his life, the waves he rode, and the lives he saved on his ancestral grounds at Waimea Bay have become a part of history, passed on from person to person around the world like a wave seeking shore.

The Eddie has run just eight times in 25 years. You don't want to miss it when the Bay calls the momentous day. Go to Quiksilver.com/Eddie for swell updates, happenings from the North Shore, and to sign up for text alerts to make sure you're the first to know when the Bay calls the day!