Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational
Encyclopedia
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau—known as The Eddie— is a surfing
tournament held at Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu
, Hawaii
. Created in 1984 at Sunset, then changed to the infamous Waimea Bay where Aikau was a lifeguard and where he and his family were caretakers of the valley. The event has been named after famed Waimea Bay lifeguard Eddie Aikau
, the irregularly-held tournament is known for a unique requirement that ocean swells reach a minimum height of 20 feet before the competition can be held. (Open-ocean swells, rather than wave faces, are the preferred method of Hawaiian wave measurement.) As a result of this requirement, the tournament has only been held eight times during the history of the event, most recently on December 8, 2009. Eddie Aikau's brother Clyde Aikau won the second Eddie in 1987.
Each year, 28 surfers, chosen by polling among their peers, are invited to Waimea Bay to participate in the Blessing of Eddie Aikau for the Opening Ceremony on the first Thursday of December. The competition holding period is between December 1 and the last day of February annually. Each day, surf conditions, ocean swells, and weather forecasts are monitored by the worlds most knowledgeable Oceanographers, Meteorologists and Big Wave surfing Experts - Along with the Contest Director George Downing. Open-ocean swells in Waimea Bay must be forecast to reach a minimum of 20 feet consistently during a single day during the competition window. (Open-ocean swells of 20 feet usually translate to face heights of 30-40 feet.) The Contest director makes the decision as to whether to run the competition if the conditions are right.
Should the Competition be called on for a morning Official Call during the competition window, the participants have a 12-hour window to arrive at Waimea Bay to check in the morning of the competition. Participants will compete in two rounds of about three or four waves each during the competition day, which is generally from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Their four best scoring waves over two rounds will make up their total score.
Participants are not allowed to use personal watercraft to tow themselves into the waves; they must paddle out into the waves entirely under their own power.
If the minimum conditions are not met during the Competition period, the event is not held that year, and the process repeats itself the following December.
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
tournament held at Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Created in 1984 at Sunset, then changed to the infamous Waimea Bay where Aikau was a lifeguard and where he and his family were caretakers of the valley. The event has been named after famed Waimea Bay lifeguard Eddie Aikau
Eddie Aikau
Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was a well-known Hawaiian lifeguard and surfer. The words Makua Hanai in Eddie Aikaus full name means feeding parent, an adoptive, nurturing, fostering parent, in the Hawaiian language...
, the irregularly-held tournament is known for a unique requirement that ocean swells reach a minimum height of 20 feet before the competition can be held. (Open-ocean swells, rather than wave faces, are the preferred method of Hawaiian wave measurement.) As a result of this requirement, the tournament has only been held eight times during the history of the event, most recently on December 8, 2009. Eddie Aikau's brother Clyde Aikau won the second Eddie in 1987.
Each year, 28 surfers, chosen by polling among their peers, are invited to Waimea Bay to participate in the Blessing of Eddie Aikau for the Opening Ceremony on the first Thursday of December. The competition holding period is between December 1 and the last day of February annually. Each day, surf conditions, ocean swells, and weather forecasts are monitored by the worlds most knowledgeable Oceanographers, Meteorologists and Big Wave surfing Experts - Along with the Contest Director George Downing. Open-ocean swells in Waimea Bay must be forecast to reach a minimum of 20 feet consistently during a single day during the competition window. (Open-ocean swells of 20 feet usually translate to face heights of 30-40 feet.) The Contest director makes the decision as to whether to run the competition if the conditions are right.
Should the Competition be called on for a morning Official Call during the competition window, the participants have a 12-hour window to arrive at Waimea Bay to check in the morning of the competition. Participants will compete in two rounds of about three or four waves each during the competition day, which is generally from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Their four best scoring waves over two rounds will make up their total score.
Participants are not allowed to use personal watercraft to tow themselves into the waves; they must paddle out into the waves entirely under their own power.
If the minimum conditions are not met during the Competition period, the event is not held that year, and the process repeats itself the following December.
Tournament winners
- 1984/1985 - Denton Miyamura
- 1986/1987 - Clyde Aikau
- 1989/1990 - Keone Downing
- 1995/1996 - No declared winner
- 1997/1998 - No declared winner
- 1998/1999 - Noah Johnson
- 2000/2001 - Ross Clarke-JonesRoss Clarke-JonesRoss Clarke-Jones is an Australian big wave surfer. He originally came from Terrigal in the Central Coast, of New South Wales, Australia where he enjoyed surfing Terrigal Haven, a point break that produces rare waves lasting for up to 300 metres on a big swell.Known also as "Dark Bones" and "RCJ",...
- 2001/2002 - Kelly SlaterKelly SlaterRobert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest and the oldest to win the title...
- 2004/2005 - Bruce Irons
- 2009/2010 - Greg LongGreg Long (surfer)Greg Long is a 27 year old Californian surfer from San Clemente, California. He is the only surfer to win the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational, the Maverick's Surf Contest, and the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event. Additionally, he is the most decorated surfer in the Billabong XXL big wave surfing...