Three-Month Holding Period for Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Ends Today
Hawaiian charger Mark Healy on a bomb at the2009 Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau.
WAIMEA BAY, Oahu/Hawaii, (Monday, February 28, 2011) - 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).
Category: All ASP News, ASP Editorial News
