the event that pays tribute to the legendary Hawaiian and his powerful legacy takes place every year, without fail: The official Opening Ceremony.
Big wave riding's greatest gathering of the tribe happens once a year, on December 1st at Waimea Bay, when the 28 Invitees, 24 Alternates, surf legends past and present, and the Aikau family gather to pay sincere respects to Eddie. It's a true 'chicken skin' moment.
The Opening Ceremony is a time when surfing embraces the Hawaiian culture from which it was born. Big Island Kahu Billy Mitchell, personal advisor to the Aikau Family, offers a blessing and rich insight for the surfers and organizers. He reminds them of whose footsteps they follow in and the role and responsibility they now have in carrying forth both the spirit of Aikau, and the ultimate brotherhood of big wave riders.
Waimea Bay has been the Mecca for big wave riders for more than 60 years, and the Eddie Opening Ceremony is a time to reflect upon big wave surfing's ancestry.
"Nothing touches the Eddie, anybody will agree," said Quiksilver charger Mark Healey in a recent interview. "There are a lot of other big waves and there are even bigger waves out there, but the thing about the Eddie is the history and the legacy of it."
Should you find yourself on the Island of Oahu on December 1st, please join us in celebrating the life of Eddie Aikau, and the spirit of big wave riding.
E komo mai....Welcome.
NVITEES:
Brock Little - HAW
Bruce Irons - HAW
Clyde Aikau - HAW
Dave Wassel - HAW
Greg Long - USA
Jamie O'Brien – HAW
Jamie Sterling – HAW
Kala Alexander – HAW
Kelly Slater – USA
Keone Downing – HAW
Kohl Christensen – HAW
Makua Rothman – HAW
Mark Healey – HAW
Michael Ho – HAW
Nathan Fletcher – USA
Noah Johnson – HAW
Peter Mel – USA
Ramon Navarro – CHL
Reef McIntosh – HAW
Ross Clarke – Jones – AUS
Rusty Keaulana – HAW
Shane Dorian – HAW
Sunny Garcia – HAW
Tom Carroll – HAW
INT'L INVITEES:
Carlos Burle - BRZ
Grant Baker - ZAF
Jeremy Flores - EUR
Takayuki Wakita - JPN
ALTERNATES:
Kalani Chapman - HAW
Garrett McNamara - HAW
Ian Walsh - HAW
Kahea Hart - HAW
Alex Gray - USA
Chris Bertish - ZAF
Mark Mathews - AUS
Shawn Dollar - USA
John John Florence - HAW
Danilo Couto - BRZ
Jamie Mitchell - AUS
Evan Valiere - HAW
Gabriel Villaran - PER
Danny Fuller - HAW
Keoni Watson - HAW
Ben Wilkinson - AUS
Diego Medina - CHL
RUsty Long - USA
Derek Dunfee - USA
Anthony Tashnick - USA
Ken Collins - USA
Kealii Mamala - HAW
Ross Williams - HAW
TAv Hannemann - HAW
