No other surfing contest embodies courage, respect, and Hawaiian spirit quite like the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational (Eddie or “The Eddie” for short). It’s more than just a competition—it’s a tribute to one of the greatest watermen of all time and arguably the most prestigious event in surfing. Find out why Eddie is so special and what the 20-foot rule has to do with it here!
The most important information in brief:
- Qualification through rankings or points is not possible; either you are invited or you are not.
- “The Eddie” only takes place when there is a 20-foot swell – the ocean decides, not the organizer.
- “Eddie Would Go” – a symbolic theme for Eddie’s courage to go where others turn back.
The creation of the Eddie – a tribute to Eddie Aikau
Eddie Aikau was more than just a surfer. He was a lifeguard, waterman, and symbol of the aloha spirit. As Waimea’s first lifeguard, he saved dozens of lives in the 1970s in waves that no one else would paddle out into. His courage and tragic death in 1978 during the legendary Hokule’a (Hawaiian: Hōkūllʻa) expedition made him a legend.
In 1984, the Aikau family teamed up with Quiksilver to start the contest to honor Eddie’s legacy. The event wasn’t meant to be just another contest, but a spiritual tribute to Eddie’s philosophy on life—and to the power of Waimea Bay, where he spent countless hours in the water. The contest bears his name because it embodies what Eddie stood for: dedication, courage, and the willingness to go where others would not. This also gave rise to the famous motto: “Eddie Would Go” – a phrase that remains deeply rooted in big wave surfing culture to this day.
What makes the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational so special
Being invited to the Eddie is the greatest honor a surfer can receive. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is not a contest like any other!
It is a mixture of competition, tradition, and deep respect for the ocean.
Only around 40 surfers worldwide receive an invitation, based on votes from fellow surfers and the Aikau family or the Eddie Aikau Foundation. Rankings and sponsor pressure don’t count here – what matters is respect, attitude, and experience. There is no direct qualification process.
The Eddie is only held when there is a swell of at least 20 feet (Hawaiian, ≈ 40 feet faces). Such surfing conditions require not only high waves, but also a long wave period. That is why the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational has only been held eleven times since 1978 – often the swell is not big enough or the conditions are too dangerous.
The venue, Waimea Bay (O’ahu, Hawaii), also has an important significance for Eddie. On the one hand, Eddie Aikau worked and carried out many rescues here as a lifeguard, and on the other hand, Waimea Bay is considered the birthplace of big wave surfing. The giant wave was first surfed in 1957. It took about 10 years after the discovery of these 30- to 50-foot waves for them to become surfable. Waimea Bay was also Eddie’s favorite surfing spot.
The course of the eddies – “The Bay Calls the Day”
Although the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is not a classic surfing contest, it follows a similar format to a normal surfing competition.
- Invitations & Alternates: Only around 40 surfers worldwide receive an invitation, with a further 20 alternates. Participants must be ready during the “holding period” (December to March). Alternates may step in if invited participants are unable to attend or do not arrive on Oʻahu on time.
- “The Bay Calls the Day” – the starting signal for “safe” conditions and +40-foot faces within the holding period. Participants who are not yet on site now have 24 to 48 hours to arrive.
- Opening ceremony: All participants honor lifeguard and surfer Edde Aikau with a paddle-out and jersey presentation.
- Competition: The contest takes place within one day with non-stop heat surfing. There are two rounds (heats) in which each surfer can surf several waves. The best four scores count towards the overall score, which is based on the size of the waves surfed, commitment, and style.
- Award ceremony: During the usually emotional award ceremony, trophies and prize money are symbolically presented.
The prize money of US$50,000 is symbolic, as it is not intended to be the main motivation. By way of comparison, the prize money for a WSL Championship Tour event is US$80,000.
Historical moments
Over the decades, the Eddie has produced unforgettable moments that have gone down in surfing history:
- One year after the first contest, Eddie’s brother Clyde Aikau won the 1986 contest.
- Six-time world champion Kelly Slater (now with 11 world titles) created a historic moment with his victory at the 2002 Eddie.
- In 2009, Greg Long delivered one of the best big wave performances ever, cementing his reputation as one of the most complete big wave surfers of his generation.
- In 2016, a female surfer was invited for the first time. Andrea Moller demonstrated with her performance that commitment, courage, and skills have no gender. Since then, women have been regularly included in the line-up.
- At just 23 years of age, John John Florence from the North Shore won the Eddie with an impressive performance – a home victory that celebrated the new generation of big wave surfing.
- Surfing legend Kelly Slater, winner of the Eddie in 2002, decided not to surf on the morning of the contest, despite Waimea Bay experiencing the biggest conditions ever seen for the Eddie. He said, “
I just didn’t have the right feeling today ,” choosing to prioritize mental strength over ego. Chris Owens, a longtime North Shore lifeguard who had never competed in the Eddie before, stepped in for him. - In 2023, Luke Shepardson, an unsupported local lifeguard, prevailed against the best big wave and professional surfers of his generation. He was on duty during the contest and was only able to participate because a colleague filled in for him during his heats. In an interview after the award ceremony, the invited alternate said he now had to return to the lifeguard tower to finish his shift.
- Landon Mcnamara surfed a perfect wave – scoring 50 points (the maximum score) – and spoke of a spiritual encounter with a turtle that followed him during both heats.
Previous Eddie Aikau Invitational winners
These are the winners of previous Eddie Aikau Invitationals:
|
Year
|
Edition
|
Winner
|
Age of the winner
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
1985
|
Denton Miyamura
|
24
|
|
2
|
1986
|
Clyde Aikau
|
30
|
|
3
|
1990
|
Keone Downing
|
36
|
|
4
|
1999
|
Noah Johnson
|
25
|
|
5
|
2001
|
Ross Clarke-Jones
|
34
|
|
6
|
2002
|
Kelly Slater
|
29
|
|
7
|
2004
|
Bruce Irons
|
25
|
|
8
|
2009
|
Greg Long
|
25
|
|
9
|
2016
|
John John Florence
|
23
|
|
10
|
2023
|
Luke Shepardson
|
27
|
|
11
|
2024
|
Landon McNamara
|
28
|
So far, there is no clear GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in big wave surfing, as there is Kelly Slater in normal surfing. However, if a big wave surfer wins the contest for the second time in the history of the Eddies, that could change. So far, John John Florence, aged 23, is the youngest winner.
Eddie 2025–2026 – Invitation list and alternates
2025 - 2026 Invitees
|
Name
|
Origin
|
|---|---|
|
Aaron Gold
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Annie Reickert
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Bianca Valenti
|
California
|
|
Billy Kemper
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Chad Keaulana
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Eala Stewart
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Eli Olson
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Emily Erickson
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Ezekiel Lau
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Grant Twiggy Bake
|
South Africa
|
|
Ha'a Aikau
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Jake Maki
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Jamie Mitchell
|
Australia / Hawaii
|
|
Jamie O’Brien
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Joey Cadiz
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
John John Florence (2016 winner)
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Justine Dupont
|
France
|
|
Kai Lenny
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Kelly Slater (2002 winner)
|
Florida
|
|
Koa Rothman
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Landon McNamara (Gewinner 2024)
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca
|
Brazil
|
|
Luke Shepardson (2023 winner)
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Makua Rothman
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Mark Healey
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Mason Ho
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Matahi Drollet
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Nathan Florence
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Nic von Rupp
|
Portugal
|
|
Ross Clarke-Jones (Sieger 2001)
|
Australia
|
|
Russell Bierke
|
Australia
|
|
Torrey Meister
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
2025 - 2026 Alternates
The following alternates have the opportunity to participate in the Eddie if Invitess cancel or drop out:
|
Name
|
Origin
|
|---|---|
|
Men
|
|
|
Cliff Kapono
|
Hawaiʻi, Hawaii
|
|
Mikey O’Shaughnessy
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Isamu Sumi
|
Japan
|
|
Tom Lowe
|
England
|
|
Kaiwi Berry
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Ty Simpson-Kane
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Michael “Mitch” Sanborn
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Kala Grace
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Albee Layer
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Tiger Doerner
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Ian Walsh
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Othmane Choufani
|
Morocco
|
|
Tyler Larronde
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Taio Shipman
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Jojo Roper
|
California
|
|
Koa Smith
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Francisco Porcella
|
Italy / Hawaii
|
|
Matt Bromley
|
South Africa
|
|
Shinpei Horiguchi
|
Hawaii / Japan
|
|
Kona Oliveira
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Wilem Banks
|
California
|
|
Barron Mamiya
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Women
|
|
|
Anne Dos Santos
|
Brazil
|
|
Paige Alms
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Laura Enever
|
Australia
|
|
Makani Adric
|
Oʻahu, Hawaii
|
|
Tiare Lawrence
|
Maui, Hawaii
|
|
Zoe Chait
|
California
|
“The Eddie” – today and outlook
Hosting Eddie’s presents challenges and opportunities for organizers and participants alike:
Eddie Aikau Foundation x Rip Curl
Rip Curl has been the main sponsor of the event since 2024 – a partnership that gives the contest financial stability. Whether this jeopardizes the integrity of the Eddies remains to be seen. At first glance, tradition and respect for the ocean seem like values that are hardly shared. The capitalist fashion and surfing company is much more focused on maximizing profits than on environmental friendliness. However, there was a change of CEO at Rip Curl in 2024. It remains to be seen how successful the partnership will be for the Eddie Aikau Foundation. We will keep you up to date.
Climate change
Climate change is altering the North Pacific: extreme weather events are increasing and swell patterns are becoming more unpredictable. Whether 20-foot conditions will be reached more or less frequently in the future remains to be seen.
Visitors
Challenges for participants
The psychological strain on participants is enormous: for athletes, competing in the “Eddie” is the ultimate test. During the months-long wait, they must be constantly ready to face potentially deadly waves.
Injuries are not uncommon! Waves with 40-foot faces pull surfers down about 10 meters when they wipe out (fall into the water) and hold them underwater for 20 to 30 seconds. In extreme cases, such as multi-wave hold-downs, it can be significantly longer. To withstand the extreme conditions, most surfers prepare for big wave contests for years. Some surfers train intensively with apnea to train their lungs with breathing exercises and to remain calmer underwater in order to reduce oxygen consumption.
To survive a life-threatening wipeout from a big wave, you should pull your legs up, stay calm, protect your head with your arms, and control your breathing. As a last resort, you can activate the inflatable vest to make it easier to reach the surface of the water.
How can you watch the Eddie Aikau Invitational?
When “The Bay Calls the Day,” Rip Curl will broadcast the event live via
YouTube stream. Local TV stations in Hawaii will also broadcast the event for those who are unable to see it with their own eyes on site.
