NORTH SHORE, Oahu — “The Eddie” won’t run this year, but the pumping North Shore surf will still be ridden by the world’s best surfers — and Wednesday was a prime example of that.
NORTH SHORE, Oahu — “The Eddie” won’t run this year, but the pumping North Shore surf will still be ridden by the world’s best surfers — and Wednesday was a prime example of that.
On the same day the Aikau family announced that there will be no big-wave invitational named after the legendary Eddie Aikau this winter, a swell with 10-foot, clean waves graced Oahu for the start of the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach and 3- to 4-footers hit the Valley Isle for the Maui Women’s Pro at Honolua Bay.
“The Aikau Ohana is looking to the 2018-19 big-wave season when ‘The Eddie’ will go,” Clyde Aikau told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after the family sent out a news release with the announcement.
Clyde Aikau, Eddie’s brother, remained upbeat despite the negative news.
“We love Hawaii,” he added.
“‘The Eddie’ is more than just a surf contest,” the release read. “It has become a Hawaiian tradition held with special reverence by the Aikaus, whose connection to Waimea Bay dates back more than 100 years to their great, great grandfather, Kahuna Nui HewaHewa. His protection of this sacred aina lives on with the Aikau ohana today and is part of their uncompromising kuleana to Hawaii.”
To not hold “The Eddie” this year (which only happens with wave faces of at least 20 feet) was a difficult decision for the Aikau family, and it was precipitated by the loss of Quiksilver as a title sponsor along with delays in the permitting process. The event is seeking a new major sponsor.
