The Hawaiian season has many facets, with most of them centered around the big, perfect and dangerous surf of the North Shore. Whether it be the grinding and punishing right-handers of Haleiwa, the giant feathering peaks of Sunset, or the terrifyingly shallow tubes of Pipeline as all key-notes in the Triple Crown, Hawaii is famous for big its waves.
However, every few years another realm comes into play. The holy ground of Waimea is home to the Quiksilver In Memory Of Eddie Aikau, the most prestigious paddle-only big wave surfing event on the planet. The event has strict entry-levels for invited surfers, and stringent quality controls for wave conditions. The event only gets a look-in if the waves are a minimum 20-foot. That’s Hawaiian sized 20-foot, which is way different to your normal 20-foot day anywhere else. In Hawaii they measure waves from the back.
Much like the giant swells, big wave surfing comes in surges. Some years there are a number of events held around the world, others years there are lean pickings as the ocean fails to produce the required oceanic energy and the big wave spots lie dormant. Although as spectators we get disappointed by an event not running, it’s the very years that the contests don’t run that make the event special. To have only happened 8 times in 26 years, for there to have only been 8 days of competitive surfing at Waimea during 26 years of waiting period, serves to show just how important this event actually is.
Without wishing to detract from the performances of our surfers in the professional realm on the North Shore, the surfers, who are hand-selected for the Eddie for great performances in big waves during the previous year, are from a different world. A world that comprises supreme fitness, pure fear, terrifying wipe-outs and real rewards. A world where people paddle for waves and throw themselves over the ledge in condition and at a break that has killed surfers and will kill surfers in the future. Some of these surfers are highly skilled, some are brave and some of them are just crazy.
The Hawaiian surfers have the most experience in Eddie conditions. Not that they get to surf them that much more than the other competitors these days, with everyone jetting in for every Waimea swell, but they do deal with the powerful waves of the North Shore on a regular basis. Hawaiian surfers like former event winner Bruce Irons, Jamie O’Brian and Jamie Sterling.
Surfers who only get excited when the waves are dead serious and life threatening.
Another former event champion Australian surfer Ross Clarke Jones is in the mix. Ross has surfed big waves all over the world, but will forever claim his Eddie victory as the sweetest win of his career.
Carlos Burle is an invited surfer. Burle is one of the most consistent big wave surfers in the world, more often than not making finals of events all around the world including the Mavericks Big Wave event and the Red Bull Big Wave Africa when it was still running. Carlos will take off on any waves that present themselves to him. If he gets the waves he will win. It’s as simple as that.
We also have Chilean underdog Ramon Navarro in the event. Growing up around the notorious Chilean big wave spot Los Lobos, the goofy-footer has had plenty of experience in big waves and big drops. Still, he shocked the surfing world at the 2009 in his debut at the Eddie. During the last afternoon, as the surf peaked, Ramon clawed his way into a legitimate 35-footer and made the drop of the day and scored 100 points for the ride. It was so big that Ramon disappeared from view for a full 15 seconds as the wave in front of his totally obscured him from the spectators on the beach. When he emerged, the crowds went wild and his entry into future events was assured.
It looks like there are some big swells on the way, and an end to the small surf that has dogged the Hawaiian season so far. It needs to get to 20-foot, and we will have an event. To keep track of the event and of your favourite big wave surfers, register on the event website here: http://quiksilverlive.com/eddieaikau/2012/home.en.html
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