Eddie Aikau 2024

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is an annual surfing competition held in honor of Eddie Aikau, a legendary Hawaiian surfer who died in 1978 while attempting to rescue a fellow surfer from rough waters. The competition is held at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, and is only held when the waves reach a certain size and quality.

The 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational was held on January 18, 2024, in waves that were 20-30 feet high. The competition was won by Landon McNamara, who is the second youngest surfer to ever win the event.

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is one of the most prestigious surfing competitions in the world, and winning the event is a huge honor for any surfer. The competition is a celebration of Eddie Aikau's life and legacy, and it is a reminder of the dangers of surfing in big waves.

Eddie Aikau's Life and Legacy

Eddie Aikau was born in 1946 in Kahuku, Hawaii. He began surfing at a young age, and he quickly became one of the most respected and talented surfers in the world. Aikau was known for his fearlessness and his ability to surf in big waves. He was also a gifted waterman, and he was known for his skills in canoe paddling and outrigger paddling.

In 1978, Aikau was part of a team of surfers who were attempting to tow a disabled catamaran back to shore from Molokai to Oahu. The catamaran was being towed by a fishing boat, but the tow rope broke and the catamaran began to drift away. Aikau paddled out on his surfboard to try to rescue the catamaran, but he was never seen again.

Aikau's death was a tragic loss for the surfing community. He was a beloved and respected figure, and his death is still mourned by surfers around the world. Aikau's legacy lives on through the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, which is held in his memory every year.

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational was first held in 1984, and it is one of the most prestigious surfing competitions in the world. The competition is held only when the waves reach a certain size and quality, and it is often considered to be the most challenging surfing competition in the world.

The competition is held at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The waves at Waimea Bay are some of the biggest and most powerful in the world, and they can reach heights of up to 30 feet. The competition is only held when the waves are at least 20 feet high, and the surfers who compete in the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational are some of the best in the world.

The competition is a celebration of Eddie Aikau's life and legacy, and it is a reminder of the dangers of surfing in big waves. The competition is also a way to honor the Hawaiian culture and the Hawaiian people.