BY ZORAH BURRESS / Kalamalama Staff
Over 50,000 people gathered on the North Shore of Oahu on Jan. 24 to watch the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.
The competition was named after well-known and respected local surfer, Eddie Aikau, who was the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay and saved over 500 people during his career.
There were 40 surfers invited to participate in the contest, comprised of a mix of professional surfers and local legends who had surfed waves over 50 feet in the past.
This was also the first year in history that women actively competed in the event.
The six female contestants were:
- Makani Adric
- Paige Alms
- Justine Dupont
- Emily Erickson
- Keala Kennelly
- Andrea Moler
“I’m approaching it as a historic event where women are getting to surf the Eddie for the first time, not as a contest, really, but going in and surfing in an expression session with a bunch of my friends,” said Kennelly, who won the 2018 Peahi.
In this year’s contest, men and women competed together, with everyone trying to get the highest score to win the overall prize. The Eddie has not occurred since 2016, making this a big deal. Women being invited and competing in this event is beneficial to surf culture as a whole, as women can now display their capabilities on a bigger stage.
