Swells in Waimea Bay, Hawaii, consistently topped 50 feet this week, so organizers gave the green light for the rare Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surf competition, according to The Associated Press.
The minimum requirements for the competition include continuous 40-foot swells that last long enough for multiple heats. Since the prestigious, invitation-only competition began in 1984, those conditions have been met just nine times, including Thursday. This is the first time the event has been held since 2009.
Eddie Aikau is a surfing legend, and the former lifeguard reportedly never had a fatality on his watch. When the surf was too big and beaches cleared out, Eddie grabbed his surfboard and hit the waves, never afraid of the ocean’s dangers.
In 1978, Eddie was part of “a team that was attempting to trace the route of their Polynesian ancestors from Hawaii to Tahiti aboard the traditional Hokulea canoe in 1978,” the AP reported. The canoe capsized, and Aikau paddled away on his surfboard to get help. He never was seen again. The competition was created six years later in his memory.
Eddie’s brother, Clyde, told the AP that the current swells are some of the best he has ever seen in “all the years he has surfed in Waimea Bay.” He’s the only competitor to surf in all eight previous competitions.
Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino, who’s Hawaiian, was very excited about the competition.
Click to watch The Eddie live from Hawaii >>
Thumbnail photo via Brian Bielmann/USA TODAY Sports Images
