50-foot swells mean rare surfing meet is a go in Hawaii

The first ever Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau contest took place over 30 years ago, and was later branded only a big wave contest at Waimea Bay.

Gary Kewley, Surf News Network chief surfing officer, said the green alert means that the big wave event at Waimea Bay is “likely to run”. Unlike with Mavericks and others big-wave events, Eddie organizers (which include members of the Aikau family), have a strict minimum on size and conditions.

The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau leaderboard earlier Thursday.

The 66-year-old Aikau was the oldest competitor in this year’s event and he said it was his last.

Clyde Aikau said the event isn’t about fame or money, it’s about honoring his brother’s legacy.

Mark Healey falls off a wave during the 2009 Eddie Aikau competition.

John John Florence Florence beat previous Eddie victor Ross Clarke-Jones from Australia with a late charge in his 2nd round heat, posting his top two rides of the day during a flurry of big waves. The 8 hour event delivered again incredible pictures of the best surfers of the world tackling some of the biggest waves that can be surfed.

Looking forward to his second heat of the day, Navarro said he hoped that Eddie would “look at (him) and send (him) some good waves”.

Local Hawaii surfer John John Florence won Thursday’s event, catching four massive waves for a total score of over 300 points.

The competition began in 1984, six years after Eddie Aikau died.

As a lifeguard, Eddie Aikau is said to have never had a fatality while on duty. In 1978, Aikau was lost at sea while paddling to get help for crew members of a capsized vessel.