Epic warmup big Monday for The Eddie; Tuesday 90%

Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau
Fueled by Monster

  ASP Specialty Event
  Waimea Bay Oahu, Hawaii
  1 December 2009 - 28 February 2010

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

OFFICIAL UPDATE FROM THE QUIKSILVER IN MEMORY OF EDDIE AIKAU AS OF MONDAY 4PM HAWAII TIME

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 December, 2009 : - - Waimea Bay, Hawaii - Huge waves are pulsing through Waimea Bay at 4pm. Invitees and Alternates of The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, are putting on an incredible afternoon display. A 30-foot-plus set just closed out at the Bay

Contest Director George Downing has announced that the event is 90 per cent likely a "GO" for tomorrow. The final call to officially call the event ON is still pending. Avoid traffic and hazards by watching the event live when it goes at quiksilver.com/eddie.

Australian Legend Carroll Suffers Serious Injury, Now Out.

Contestants of the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, were calling the waves at Waimea Bay today bigger than any contested the past three times this event ran. But organizers opted to employ patience and wait for tomorrow as  surface conditions are forecast to improve with wave size continuing in the giant range. Wave face heights were in the 25- to 40-foot range today and rising. It made for a dramatic warm-up that thousands flocked to the North Shore of Oahu to witness.

The single lane highway that runs the stretch of the North Shore was bumper-to-bumper by sunrise. Many made the pilgrimage on foot and bicycle late last night, sleeping under the stars to catch the action early. The invitees to the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau weren't far behind them and headed out  at dawn into the salt-spray, mist-filled lineup in search of the "big one".

"Waimea is something special," said contest director George Downing. "You've got to have the right ingredients. You've got to wait until the puzzle of Waimea comes together. You're sending the top notch big wave riders out there and they're all hungry. They all want to catch that wave."

Two-time world champion surfer Tom Carroll, one of the most famous entries to the event, was also its first casualty today. As he dropped into a wave, the full power of the lip crashed down, compressing him and tearing apart his ankle. He left the beach in an ambulance and was bitterly disappointed he will not be surfing again this year.

Shane Dorian : photo Murray G. Whana

"I took a wave, it wasn't that big a wave, just a real freaky accident"," says Carroll,  48,The whole load of whitewater hit me all at once right at the bottom of the wave. My ankle separated from my tibia and fibula, so it was just flopping. I'm hoping there's no break in there. I was comfortable out there. There's some big waves coming through, but I was comfortable. It's a real bummer. I was just really ready to go for the Eddie."

Mark Healey is one of Hawaii's most successful big wave riders. He thrilled the crowd with a huge ride to shore than ended when he was swallowed up by a 15 foot shorebreak. "There's a ton of energy out in the water," explains Healey. "Those sets are really big. It's actually some of the most consistent big Waimea I've seen in years. I'd stay out all day if I didn't think the contest was going to be running tomorrow.

"It's so easy to get hurt out here. There's so many forces at work and it's very unpredictable. Compared to surfing even Pipeline... out here the water hurts you." Katherine LaFrance, a distance runner from Boston Masachusettes, was impressed by the athleticism of what she saw today.

"I have a lot of respect for surfing as a sport which I never really thought about before.," said LaFrance. "I've done a lot of distance running so I see surfing now as a really serious athletic endeavor. It's mind-boggling. "It's an adventure, even if you're not out there. The waves, the lush greenery, the people, it's really amazing." Sheri-Ann Taulla, visiting from Melbourne, Australia, is familiar with surfing, but nothing like this.

"We were here by fluke so we thought we'd come check it out," said Taulla. "It's pretty crazy out there. These waves are so much bigger (than Australia). Even the photos we're taking don't do it any justice. The vibe's awesome. It's stunning, the beaches are beautiful, even the drive was nice. We're pretty excited to be here."

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, is on standby to take place tomorrow. Invitees will contend for the $98K prize purse and Monster Drop award. This is the only big wave event in the world that is sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals.

Monster Energy will be presenting the Monster Drop Specialty Award for the surfer who makes the most critical drop and rides out of it during the event. The judges will determine the winner the day of the competition and will present the chosen surfer with a unique Monster Drop Specialty Award Trophy.

Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman, Eddie Aikau, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, gathers the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the globe. It 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.
 
The Eddie has only run seven times in the past 24 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!

 
AM Report

07h00 Official update: The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau will NOT run today. / Monday.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 December, 2009 : - - Waimea Bay, Hawaii - The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, will NOT run today. Contest Director George Downing is at Waimea Bay monitoring conditions, and has said he will have a close eye on conditions mid-afternoon today, that will be his indicator for tomorrow.

At present, a heavy fog of salt mist generated by extra large waves of around 18 feet, mixed with light rain and cloud cover, blankets the North Shore. A solid stream of curious onlookers has been cruising Kamehameha Highway since before dawn. Avoid traffic and hazards by watching the event live when it goes at quiksilver.com/eddie.

An update will be issued at 4pm Hawaii time this-afternoon. Log on to find out the call.

**WARNING: The National Weather Service is issuing high surf warnings to local residents. In the interest of public safety, the Civil Defense may close roads and beach accesses along the North Shore of Oahu from Sunday night. The safest place to be is away from coastal areas.

The National Weather Service reports that swell will build early Monday and continue into Tuesday and Wednesday with open ocean swell heights exceeding 22 feet. This will translate to wave heights of 30 feet or higher at North Shore surf spots. High surf in combination with high tides will produce dangerous battering waves that will pound the coastline, cause high run-up, and jeopardize beachfront properties.

Check the Live Coverage 

Resources to stay up to date:
www.quiksilver.com/eddie
NOAA Oahu Surf Forecast
National Weather Service report phone line: (808) 973-4383 - detailed warnings and descriptions.
 

Invitees & alternates held a warmup session at Waimea on Saturday

Surfersvillage Global Surf News: - - North Shore, Hawaii - Big surf was rolling into Waimea Bay on the 40th Anniversary of the biggest surf ever to hit the Hawaiian Islands. The Eddie Aikau event Invitees & alternates had solid a 18- to 20-foot warmup swell at Waimea Bay on Saturday morning, just a touch undersize for the event to run.

       

       

       

INVITEES     
Andy Irons, Hawaii
Brian Keaulana, Hawaii
Brock Little, Hawaii
Bruce Irons, Hawaii
Carlos Burle, Brazil
Clyde Aikau, Hawaii
Darryl Virostko, California
Greg Long, California
Jamie O’Brien, Hawaii
Jamie Sterling, Hawaii
Kelly Slater, Florida
Keone Downing, Hawaii
Makuakai Rothman, Hawaii
Mark Healey, Hawaii
Michael Ho, Hawaii
Noah Johnson, Hawaii
Peter Mel, California
Reef McIntosh, Hawaii
Ross Clarke-Jones, Australia
Rusty Keaulana, Hawaii
Shane Dorian, Hawaii
Sunny Garcia, Hawaii
Titus Kinimaka, Hawaii
Tom Carroll, Australia
Grant “Twiggy” Baker, South Africa    
Ibon Amatriain, Euskadi  
Ramon Navarro, Chile
Takayuki Wakita, Japan    
     
ALTERNATES
Kala Alexander, Hawaii Aikau Family Pick
Pancho Sullivan, Hawaii
Garrett McNamara, Hawaii
Kohl Christensen, Hawaii
Dave Wassel, Hawaii
Keoni Watson, Hawaii
Nathan Fletcher, Hawaii
Ian Walsh, Hawaii
Danny Fuller, Hawaii
Kalani Chapman, Hawaii
Taylor Knox, California
Chava Greenlee, Hawaii
Jamie Mitchell, Australia
Myles Padaca, Hawaii
Tony Moniz, Hawaii
Darrick Doerner, Hawaii
Ken ‘Skin Dog’ Collins, California
Ross Williams, Hawaii
Derek Ho, Hawaii
Paul Paterson, Australia
Anthony Tashnick, California
Koby Abberton, Australia
Laurent Pujol, France
Laurie Towner, Australia

HONORARY INVITEES   
Mark Foo, Hawaii
Todd Chesser, Hawaii
Tiger Espere, Hawaii
Jay Moriarity, California
Peter Davi, California
Lester Falatea, Tahiti 

www.monsterenergy.com
www.quiksilver.com/eddie

Opening ceremony 3 December 2009 : photo courtesy Quiksilver 

Previous reports:
# 1 : Quiksilver Big Wave in Memory of Eddie open to voting
# 2 : 25th anniversary Quiksilver Eddie Aikau names invitees
# 3 : Big waves forecast: Will the Eddie Aikau go next week
# 4 : Quiksilver Eddie Aikau is likely to GO on 7, 8, or 9th Dec 

www.quiksilver.com
www.quiksilver.com/bigwave

About Quiksilver
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About Monster Energy
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it big wave surfing, insane distance jumping, MX, rally, SX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, snow, BMX - name it - the athletes are rockin' Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types - Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster's fruit juice hybrid dubbed "M-80," the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy "Hitman" energy shot. On the 'Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com.

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