More than a thousand people gathered at Waimea Bay for the opening ceremony of the Rip Curl Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational on Friday, Dec. 5, according to event organizers. The contest runs only if wave face heights consistently reach 40 feet at Waimea Bay during the holding period, which started Dec. 7 and ends March 6.
Affectionately called “The Eddie,” the invitational is held in memory of Eddie Aikau, a well-known waterman who was a lifeguard on North Shore where he saved hundreds of people over his career. The conditions necessary to call The Eddie are such that there have only been 11 competitions in its more than 40-year history, according to the Eddie Aikau Foundation, a nonprofit created to share the waterman’s life and promote education and the advancement of Hawaiian culture.
Following surfer introductions, Keawe Kaoha Aikau Kaalekahi, the great-nephew of Eddie Aikau, assisted the Royal Order of Kamehameha I and Laiana Kanoa-Wong with the blessing of the event and the competitors. (Erik Kabik / @erikkabik) 
Kai Lenny holds up the trophy designed for invitees by Eddy Y. (Erik Kabik / @erikkabik) 
The trophy for the winner of The Eddie. (Erik Kabik / @erikkabik) 
Each invitee received a trophy, designed by Eddy Y, that commemorates Eddie Aikau and his brother, Clyde Aikau. (Erik Kabik / @erikkabik) 
The opening ceremony for The Eddie was held Friday, Dec. 5. (Erik Kabik / @erikkabik) 
The opening ceremony was held Friday, Dec. 5. (Erik Kabik / @erikkabik)
The opening ceremony began with a Hawaiian blessing by Rocky Naeole and Thomas Cleek of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. There were hula performances from Pūnana Leo o Waialua Keiki and Waimea Valley-Hiʻipaka LLC's Kumu Ka'ulamealani Diamond and halau. Competitors were introduced to the crowd and given replicas of the necklace Eddie wore on his final voyage with Hōkūleʻa as well as rash guards and a trophy, designed by local artist Eddy Y, which pays tribute to Eddie and Clyde Aikau. They also participated in a paddle out.
Notable this year was the absence of Eddie’s brother, surfing legend Clyde Aikau, who died in May after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His son, Ha’a Aikau, and Makua Rothman led the traditional ocean blessing in the middle of Waimea Bay. Both are invitees in the invitational.
“It was a really beautiful circle,” said Mason Ho, last year’s runner up, in a written statement. “Everyone got to catch a wave. Usually, it’s flat on these opening ceremony days, but today there was a nice wave out there. It was really moving hearing Ha'a speak on behalf of Uncle Clyde. It felt like a passing of the torch of some sort. It was definitely a little sad this year because Uncle Clyde was all of our hero, but it was really beautiful because everyone was cheering for him out there, and there were a lot of nice stories shared.”
Women surfed for the first time in The Eddie in January of 2023. This year, invitees include five of the 11 surfers who have won The Eddie in the past: Ross Clarke-Jones (2001), Kelly Slater (2002), John John Florence (2016) and Luke Shepardson (2023) and Landon McNamara (2024).
For more information, including the full list of invitees and alternates, go to: theeddieaikau.com.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
