UPDATE: Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Called “OFF”

Greg Long (USA), current frontrunner on the WSL Big Wave Tour rankings, won the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau (a WSL Specialty event) the last time it ran in 2009. Long will look to repeat when the Bay roars to life again this Wednesday.
Image: WSL

Eddie Called Off

Although contest organizers earlier this week announced that the Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau would go, they called off the competition this morning because surf is not materializing as they hoped and will not meet the minimum criteria for the event of at least 40 foot faces.

“Unfortunately, the Bay is not going to call the day today. The surf is not what we expected,” Glen Moncata, Quiksilver Event Director, said in a statement this morning. “What we need is need eight hours of solid 20 foot surf, 40 foot faces, and unfortunately this storm got pushed way up North of us, so we are just not going to be able to run today.”

The event has only run eight times in its storied 31-year history, the last time in December of 2008.

It is named after the famed waterman Eddie Aikau who is recognized as the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay.  Aikau tragically lost his life in 1978 while attempting to rescue crewmates aboard the traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, the Hōkūle’a, that capsized in rough seas en route to Tahiti. The big wave event was created in his honor in 1984.

The holding period runs through Feb. 29, so there is still a chance that the prestigious event could be held before the end of the month.

Contest organizers say, “With a very active El Nino swell season on offer, the potential for the event to run before February 29 remains high.”

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The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, a WSL Specialty Event, is called ON for Wednesday, February 10 at the world-renowned Waimea Bay on Oʻahu. Event organizers note that this will be just the ninth time the prestigious event has run in its storied, 31-year history.

CBS Sports Network will air live coverage of the Big Wave surfing event with live coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. eastern/9:30 a.m. pacific/7:30 a.m. HST.

Held in honor of the first official lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oʻahu, Eddie went on to become one of the best big wave riders in the world before his tragic death in 1978.

The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau features 28 big wave surfers, each of whom will surf twice, in two separate rounds.  The rounds feature surfers in seven-man heats.

Organizers say they anticipate a solid day of surf that will meet the event’s strict wave face height requirement, with favorable light winds in the morning, turning light trades by afternoon.

The tournament can only be held when wave heights reach a sustained minimum 45 feet. The last time the event was held was on Dec. 8, 2009.

CBS Sports Network will continue with their live coverage until 3 p.m. eastern, after which fans can catch all the action at www.worldsurfleague.com or via the World Surf League’s free app available on Google Play and the iTunes store.

The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Heat Draw:
Round 1/Heat 1
Shane Dorian (HAW)
Kohl Christensen (HAW)
Greg Long (USA)
Ramon Navarro (CHL)
Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS)
Jamie Mitchell (AUS)

Round 1/Heat 2
Kelly Slater (USA)
David Wassell (HAW)
Grant Baker (ZAF)
Reef McIntosh (HAW)
Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Aaron Gold (HAW)
Tom Carroll (AUS)

Round 1/Heat 3
John John Florence (HAW)
Mark Healey (HAW)
Clyde Aikau (HAW)
Nathan Fletcher (USA)
Noah Johnson (HAW)
Peter Mel (USA)
Takayuki Wakita (JPN)

Round 1/Heat 4
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Makua Rothman (HAW)
Ian Walsh (HAW)
Albee Layer (HAW)
Kala Alexander (HAW)
Garrett McNamara (HAW)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)

Round 2/Heat 1
Shane Dorian (HAW)
Kohl Christensen (HAW)
Greg Long (USA)
Reef McIntosh (HAW)
Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Aaron Gold (HAW)
Tom Carroll (AUS)

Round 2/Heat 2
Kelly Slater (USA)
David Wassell (HAW)
Grant Baker (ZAF)
Ramon Navarro (CHL)
Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS)
Jamie Mitchell (AUS)

Round 2/Heat 3
John John Florence (HAW)
Mark Healey (HAW)
Clyde Aikau (HAW)
Albee Layer (HAW)
Kala Alexander (HAW)
Garrett McNamara (HAW)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)

Round 2/Heat 4
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Makua Rothman (HAW)
Ian Walsh (HAW)
Nathan Fletcher (USA)
Noah Johnson (HAW)
Peter Mel (USA)
Takayuki Wakita (JPN)

Alternates List
Mason Ho (HAW)
Danilo Couto (BRA)
Mark Mathews (AUS)
Koa Rothman (HAW)
Ben Wilkinson (AUS)
Jamie Sterling (AUS)
Billy Kemper (HAW)
Shawn Dollar (USA)
Carlos Burle (BRA)
Kealii Mamala (HAW)
Gabriel Villaran (USA)
Michael Ho (HAW)
Kai Lenny (HAW)
Kahea Hart (HAW)
Nathan Florence (HAW)
Damien Hobgood (USA)
Kalani Chapman (HAW)
Ryan Hipwood (AUS)
Danny Fuller (HAW)
Nic Lamb (USA)
Anthony Tashnick (HAW)
Rusty Long (HAW)
Derek Dunfee (USA)
Brock Little (USA