Mayor says city will work with Aikau family to help save ‘Eddie’ surf contest
BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERITSER.COM
Clyde Aikau, front, appears with siblings Solomon Aikau, left in back of Clyde, and Myra Aikau, right in back of Clyde, and a few of their surfer colleagues, friends and supporters at a press conference at their home, Monday, October 31, 2016.
DENNIS ODA / FEB. 2016
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surfing contest was called off due to smaller than expected surf conditions. Traffic on Kamehameha Highway was still very heavy. People lined Kamehameha Highway and Waimea Bay Beach on the North Shore. Traffic moved slowly on this stretch of Kamehameha Hwy. between Waimea Bay and Shark’s Cove.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / FEB. 2016
Eddie Aikau banners up on scaffolding.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell wants to work with the family of surfing legend Eddie Aikau and the permit holders to find a solution that allows the world famous big-waves surfing competition to take place this year.
The mayor is expected to issue a statement this afternoon that says that the city is working with its attorneys to find a way to allow the “the Eddie” to go this year.
The family of Eddie Aikau said this morning that they want to continue the world famous big-wave surfing competition this year despite the severing of ties with sponsor Quiksilver.
At a news conference at the family’s Punchbowl home, members of the family called on city leaders to help them resolve ongoing permitting issues related to the annual event at Waimea Bay.
>> Quiksilver surf tourney will no longer be ‘The Eddie’
>> PHOTOS: ‘Eddie’ surf contest, Feb. 25
>> Dispute means ‘Eddie’ likely a no-go
>> VIDEO: Jet ski rescue patrol team takes on 60-foot waves
>> VIDEO: Scenes from the ‘Eddie’ on Feb. 25
“We’re fighting really hard to continue the legacy of Eddie Aikau,” said brother Solomon Aikau, president of the Eddie Aikau Foundation.
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The city approved a permit for the upcoming December-to-February waiting-period but the application was specifically for Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, and the permit may no longer be valid with the two sides unable to come to terms on an agreement for continued sponsorship.
The family’s attorney, Seth Reiss, said Quiksilver has made the permit available to family, but it still may not be valid.
“We must work with the city to see if that’s possible,” he said.
Dozens of big-wave surfers and surfing professionals attended the news conference.
The surf competition was established in 1984 in honor Eddie Aikau, the talented surfer and first North Shore lifeguard who died in 1978 while attempting to get help for fellow crew members of the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a, which had overturned in waters off Molokai.
“It’s very important to keep the status quo,” Solomon Aikau said. “The event is important to the state of Hawaii. It’s part of our culture. We hope the legacy continues.”
36 responses to “Mayor says city will work with Aikau family to help save ‘Eddie’ surf contest”
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If Quicksilver and the Aikau family both want the “Eddie” to keep going, then I don’t see how our elected officials could possibly screw this up.
Money can easily screw things up. I heard that’s what it comes down to is money. What’s the chance it’s going to go this year anyways. It’s run, what, 6 times in over 30 years?
for real..it’s not like the eddie would go anyway..if it goes it goes..if it doesn’t go..no biggie..money ruins everything..especially when it comes to family..everyone wants a bigger piece of the pie
I believe Quicksilver is pulling out. The article is not clear about whether Quicksilver wants to sponsor another event or just not have any event. Sounds like this is a dispute over who owns the permit to hold the event. The Aikau family wants to keep the event going but they don’t have a sponsor. Very poorly written story.
This morning news.. quicksilver said several months ago they tried to change the permit to remove “eddie” from the permit but that was denied. They were going to call it Quicksilver big wave contest.
We can all speculate as to why the relationship has ended.. of course control and money are the biggest speculations.. either way they are both great organizations and hopefully it will get worked out in the end
It should not be confusing. The article s clear that the Aikau family is “severing…ties with sponsor Quicksilver.” The problem is the permitting. Quicksilver is the holder of the permit that allows the event to be held. With Quicksilver’s departure from sponsoring the event, the Aikau family needs to obtain its permit to continue with the event since Quicksilver’s permit is not transferable to another party.
This is it, in a nutshell. The article even states that Quiksilver wants to allow the family to take the permit, but it’s a city issue
The problem is not the “elected officials”, they issued the permit. The problem is that the family and quicksilver are having a business disagreement.
Heard Quicksilver is also getting out from sponsoring Rell Sunn’s surf event too.
Our elected officials never screw anything up. They screw everything up.
If/when the conditions are Eddie-sized, does anyone think the surf community’s not going to go out and have the event anyways, whether by Quiksilver, the Aikaus, officially or unofficially? The answer is of course they will, so the City and County of Honolulu might as well put in the proper permits, preparations, planning, etc., so the event can run as well as possible. As awesome in every sense of the word the Eddie is, it is a crushing event from a logistics point of view, so it behooves everyone that CCOH step up here and do things right. Also, all the best to the Aikaus and Quiksilver, and here’s to hoping they can clear things up and move forward together, a good family and good company. Let’s all make this happen the right way.
Note that my earlier comment was in response to an earlier version of this story, prior to the Mayor’s response, that version of the article was entitled, “Aikau Family Calls On City Leaders To Help Save Big Wave Event”.
What a piece of sh1t prostitute mayor now he is in the surf promotion business just to get votes?
What would you say if he said no?
There must be an election coming up…oh wait
Really? Oh yeah.
Would you expect anything less from any of our politicians in an election year?
The snag must pertain to money, greed, prestige – by who? Both sides? Quicksilver? or the Aikau family? Unlike the annual Honolulu Marathon where the promoters are doing a good job not letting personalities interfere.
Fix the roads instead Caldwell. Despite your basting of so many miles fixed the roads just get worse. Also i noticed dead end roads and small roads with next to zero traffic and no potholes are being repaved. There is a scam in this.
I see the same thing happening. They repair the roads that are in decent condition to say they are doing something while leaving the roads with the worst pot holes so the people complain and they can justify spending more money repaving more roads. After all if they repave the roads that really needed repaving problem solved and they can’t continue spending money giving their contractor friends more projects.
A sponsor is needed to fork up the prize money…Im pretty sure the family foundation doesn’t have that kind of money to do it alone. Disputes only happen when money is involved. Maybe the family foundation wants a bigger % for using Eddie’s name for the event and when they sell Eddie Aikau apparel. Who knows…maybe Hurley will jump in to sponsor…last years winner JJF is sponsored by Hurley…which is tied to Nike.
Give the winner one of the rail columns to uniquely carve their image into it.
Close – the real money dispute is the down market sales of surfing apparel doesn’t pay the bills. Waikik is upscale market retailing, which downscale surf marketing doesn’t fit with. upscaling eddie merchandise to sell side by side with waikiki’s upmarket retail is the financial solution. Qsilver isn’t capable of upscaling merchandise. nike is focused on urban culture sales around basketball heroes,not surf heroes. The brand which clyde owns needs an upgrade into a waikiki level price point and that takes money too. LVMH should look into doing this. Maui Loa worked at doing the upgrade but clyde went with the KSBE crew and so far that hasn’t paid off.
Remember folks – the mayor is running for re-election so he’ll do all he can until the election!!! then forget what he said before the election!!
@dsl-This has nothing to do with the election. Learn to read the story that is being reported. geez???
you that far behind?
Eddie says: Build a four lane highway around the North Shore first.
If The Eddie doesn’t happen, so be it. It was good while it lasted. If Quicksilver or Billabong or whoever wants to hold another Big Wave contest, so be it. Just promote Hawai/Oahu/Tourism well whoever decides to take it on.
Get MooFee involved…
Can’t eff that up, right?
If you read the article, the Aikau’s asked for the city leaders for help. Caldwell being the mayor is right to assist the family. The Aikau’s attorney also states that the permit may not be valid even it Quicksilver let them use it. If the contest goes with he current permit, Quicksilver may ask/sue for money for use of the permit. Also were is the Hawaii Tourism Authority, governor, or city council members on this?
This event costs a LOT OF MONEY TO put on. This city can’t maintain a park bathroom. Step aside Mr. mayor and let a big company pick up the tab and pay for costs to promote and webcast. 1 Million minimum !
With all due respect to the Aikau Family, everybody else has to wait in line for their permits. Why is the Aikau family getting special treatment? Why is this such a rush to have the Eddie this year? It’s rarely held in consecutive year’s anyway. The family will have a year to pull the proper permit and hold it next year. Oh wait, I forgot that next year’s not an election year.
If Kirk handles the Eddie as well as he handles everything else in the city, you homeboys should probably just take up figure skating.
The family still can honor Eddie. Lower the standards. Setting up and taking down equipment because no 30 footers is costly. Even surf fans starting to give up. Why go every year sometimes for years and nothing happens. Eddie would still be honored if a regular surf contest was held for him every year. Bet Quicksilver would have gone with that. At least surf fans and surfers get to participate and watch a contest honoring him most every year.
Costs $2,000,000.00 to run the contest. Quiksilver is having a hard time, financially and cannot afford to sponsor the Eddie anymore !! Hope the Aikau’s can find an appropriate sponsor as there is NO more prestigious contest to win than the EDDIE !! The State and City & County can not afford them, despite being cheaper and achieving better returns than Rail !!!
I don’t understand the mayor? He gets his hands in everything and nothing gets done. I remember when he first ran for office, he was out there helping to pave the roads and then after election he stopped. Mayor Kirk, stay out of this, you will just ruin it just like the rail project. Let the Aikau family do what they need to do. Election is just around the corner, November 8, 2016. If you want to get re-elected you have 7 days left.