The Eddie isn't going
It's the most elusive contest in the surfing world, if not the whole sports world. In its 36-year history, the Eddie Aikau Invitational has only run 9 times.
Historically, the strict size threshhold - the waves must reach 20 feet - is to blame for the contest's sporadic record, yet since 2016 financial and organisational woes have beset the contest, making it even harder to hit the green light.
2016 Eddie winner, John John Florence (Servais/WSL)
This week it was announced the contest won't run during season 2020/21, this time due to the coronavirus.
The Aikau family released a statement which reads:
“The Eddie Aikau Foundation and the Eddie Aikau Family LLC have decided to cancel the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational for the 2020-2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eddie’s siblings Myra, Sol and Clyde Aikau together decided today to not run the surf competition this year out of an abundance of caution during these unprecedented times. They would like to thank the sponsors of The Eddie and look forward to holding opening ceremonies next year for the 2021-22 season.”
Last year, longtime sponsor Quiksilver returned after a three year hiatus, only to pull out again this year. The sponsor list for the now-cancelled contest was entirely Hawaiian businesses, in keeping with the Aikau's family decision to reduce the size of the contest yet focus on the Hawaiian roots.
Comments
Not a chance in hell the tour will run next year. Not a bad thing.
how good is that photo. the tour i don't really give a rats about, but not watching jjf and two or three others regularly is a bummer
Imagine how steep that looked to JJF, legendary
it's an amazing shot isn't it, air dropping on a 10 foot board
RCJ was robbed in the last Eddie.
Must have been a massive disappointment to Eddie’s devoted siblings, and all Hawaiians, to not hold the event to celebrate Eddie’s life, and no doubt Gerald’s, to experience traditional Hawaiian culture and to thank them for introducing surfing to the rest of the world. Best wishes to the Aikau family.