Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational

Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational

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 (6.1 m) 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 (6.1 m) 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 08:00 to 17:00. 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.