Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational could go Sunday or Monday

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay remains on track to be called on for Sunday, although it might be pushed back to Monday, depending on conditions, co-director Clyde Aikau said in a phone interview Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a hard call. You gotta keep aware, watching a swell travelling from across the Pacific,” Aikau said, noting that, after being called on for last Wednesday, the Eddie was called off two days ahead when the wind forecast changed to onshore, resulting in poor conditions.

Because the approaching swell continues to look promisingly monstrous, “we’re gonna put an alert out, a yellow warning 5-7 days ahead that we may go,” he said, “and change that to green 2-3 days before the 22nd,” or whatever date finally looks optimal for Eddie-caliber waves that will remain consistent throughout the one-day event.

“Looks like the 23rd is gonna be a better day,” added Aikau, who is a younger brother of the late Eddie Aikau, the legendary big-wave surfer who served as the first lifeguard on Oahu’s North Shore and saved an estimated 500 lives at Waimea Bay.

He added the 40 invited contestants are ready to go, having all arrived before last Wednesday on the North Shore.

“We had the last call. That’s why they all flew in from halfway around the world: Nazare (Portugal), South Africa, Australia,” added Aikau, who won the second Eddie Invitational and the first to be held at Waimea Bay, in 1986.

The first Eddie was won by Denton Miyamura in 1984 at Sunset Beach. While organized annually, the event has only been held nine times, due to the strict criteria enforced by the late George Downing, the revered waterman and big-wave surfer who called the Eddie on or off at first light on the scheduled day.

The last Eddie, won in 2016 by John John Florence, was called by Downing, who died in 2018.

“I wish he was here so we didn’t have to do it,” Aikau said of himself and co-director Liam McNamara, “but just like we say, the Bay calls the day.”

If the Eddie is called on, it will be the first time women will surf in the event; there are six female and 34 male invitees this year, and they will compete against one another, without separate divisions, Aikau said.

“We’re gonna hold two rounds, eight people per heat, five heats,” he added. “You catch four waves per heat, then you have to go in,” and scores are based on those four waves.

For updates, visit theeddieaikau.com/#Invitational.