Although the shores of Hawaii have received many memorable swells this past winter, the required 40 foot swell to allow the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Contest to go ahead has not materialised. The Eddie will now roll over to the 2015/2016 season and hopefully will get to run for the ninth time in what will be it’s 31st year.
The stringent conditions surrounding the Eddie and the requirements of a swell with 40 foot faces are what makes the event so special and gives it the kudos that captivates the general public who are fascinated with the Eddie Aikau story and this competition. The Quiksilver sponsored event has had a 3 month waiting period but needed a solid 8 hours of the monstrous surf conditions to allow it to proceed.
Past winners of this prestigious competition include Kelly Slater, Clyde Aikau, Bruce Irons and Greg Long, who was the last surfer to hoist the trophy above his head in the 2009/2010 season. Fans of this event will have a long wait until the 2015/2016 opening period begins again in December. Do you think the competition should have such stringent conditions? Is that what makes the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau so special?