'Eddie' couldn't go as big waves fail to appear for fourth straight year
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Advertiser Staff
For the fourth consecutive year, the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational was not able to run due to a lack of quality conditions at Waimea Bay.
The holding period for this year's "Eddie" contest ended on Feb. 28.
The event is considered the premier big-wave surfing contest in the world, in part because it has such strict standards.
It can run only on a day when waves are at least 20 feet by traditional measurements (which translates to 40-foot wave faces). The holding period annually starts on Dec. 1 and ends on Feb. 28.
Because of those standards, the Eddie Aikau contest has been completed just seven times since it was created in 1986.
The last time the contest was completed was during the 2004-05 season, when Kaua'i's Bruce Irons won it in December of 2004.
The contest was created to honor Eddie Aikau, a former big-wave surfer and lifeguard at Waimea Bay who was lost at sea during a rescue attempt for the voyaging canoe Hokule'a in 1978.
KU IKAIKA CHALLENGE ALSO POSTPONED IN '09
The Quiksilver Ku Ikaika Challenge — a big-wave contest for stand-up paddle surfers — was not able to run this year due to a lack of big waves at Makaha Beach.
The event can run only on a day when waves of at least 15 feet reach Makaha between Jan. 15 and Feb. 28.
The Ku Ikaika Challenge was created in 2008, and it was able to run that first year. Aaron Napoleon of Palolo won the first contest.
FOUR FROM HAWAI'I HONORED BY ASP
Four Hawai'i surfers received trophies at the ASP World Champions' Crowning banquet last week at Coolangata, Australia.
Bonga Perkins of Hale'iwa and Joy Monahan were honored as the 2008 world longboard champions.
Kai Barger of Maui was honored as the 2008 world junior champion.
Also, Melanie Bartels of Wai'anae received the "Most Improved" award for the 2008 women's world tour.
ASING WINS THREE DIVISIONS AT HALE'IWA
Keanu Asing of 'Ewa won three divisions at the NSSA Hawai'i contest last weekend at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach.
Asing won the prestigious open men's division, as well as the open junior and explorer junior divisions.
Hana Harrison won the open women's division, and Alessa Quizon won the explorer girls and explorer women divisions.
Most of O'ahu's top scholastic surfers competed in the two-day contest.
