WAIMEA BAY, Oahu/Hawaii (Monday, February 22, 2016) - The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, a WSL Specialty Event, has been placed on YELLOW ALERT for Thursday, February 25 at the world-renowned Waimea Bay. The final determination on the status of the event will be made early Thursday Morning at Waimea Bay.
Early forecasts for Thursday's swell anticipate Hawaiian scale 20- to 25-feet, with occasional larger waves (wave face heights of 40- to 50-feet or more), and 10-knot trade winds.
"We are looking very closely at this swell," said event director Glen Moncata. "These systems are very hard to predict so we will set up for the event, but we will not make the final call until Thursday morning. We don't want to disappoint anybody and we will leave it up to the Bay to call the day on Thursday."
The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau is a tribute event for native Hawaiian big wave surfer, and early Waimea Bay lifeguard, Eddie Aikau.
Less than two weeks ago the event was given an early green light, but on the morning of February 10 was cancelled due to a delayed and diminished swell episode. If the prestigious event does go this week, it will be only the ninth time it has run in its storied, 31-year history.
This Thursday's swell is the second of two giant back-to-back swells to hit Oahu's North Shore this week. The first arrived true to forecast this-morning in the 25- to 30-foot range at its peak, stormy, with shorter period swell as expected.
The Eddie will be contested by 28 invitees, including defending Eddie winner and BWT current rankings' leader Greg Long (USA); Clyde Aikau (HAW), Eddie's brother and winner of the second Eddie event; and 11-time World Champion and 2001/2002 Eddie winner Kelly Slater (USA).
This year, participants have been given the option of wearing the Quiksilver x Aqua Lung Inflatable Vest during the event.
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau will be webcast LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com as well as the WSL app. The event will be carried by our LIVE broadcast partners Fox Sports Australia, CNS Sports in the United States, ESPN Brasil, Globosat, Edgesport, Sky NZ, Sport TV, Canal + Deportes, Channel Nine, MCS, Starhub, and Oceanic Time Warner Cable 250 & 1250 in Hawaii.
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Heat Draw:
Round 1/Heat 1
Shane Dorian (HAW)
Kohl Christensen (HAW)
Greg Long (USA)
Ramon Navarro (CHL)
Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS)
Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
Round 1/Heat 2
Kelly Slater (USA)
David Wassell (HAW)
Grant Baker (ZAF)
Reef McIntosh (HAW)
Jamie O'Brien (HAW)
Aaron Gold (HAW)
Tom Carroll (AUS)
Round 1/Heat 3
John John Florence (HAW)
Mark Healey (HAW)
Clyde Aikau (HAW)
Nathan Fletcher (USA)
Noah Johnson (HAW)
Peter Mel (USA)
Takayuki Wakita (JPN)
Round 1/Heat 4
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Makua Rothman (HAW)
Ian Walsh (HAW)
Albee Layer (HAW)
Kala Alexander (HAW)
Garrett McNamara (HAW)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Round 2/Heat 1
Shane Dorian (HAW)
Kohl Christensen (HAW)
Greg Long (USA)
Reef McIntosh (HAW)
Jamie O'Brien (HAW)
Aaron Gold (HAW)
Tom Carroll (AUS)
Round 2/Heat 2
Kelly Slater (USA)
David Wassell (HAW)
Grant Baker (ZAF)
Ramon Navarro (CHL)
Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS)
Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
Round 2/Heat 3
John John Florence (HAW)
Mark Healey (HAW)
Clyde Aikau (HAW)
Albee Layer (HAW)
Kala Alexander (HAW)
Garrett McNamara (HAW)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Round 2/Heat 4
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Makua Rothman (HAW)
Ian Walsh (HAW)
Nathan Fletcher (USA)
Noah Johnson (HAW)
Peter Mel (USA)
Takayuki Wakita (JPN)
Alternates List
Mason Ho (HAW)
Danilo Couto (BRA)
Mark Mathews (AUS)
Koa Rothman (HAW)
Ben Wilkinson (AUS)
Jamie Sterling (AUS)
Billy Kemper (HAW)
Shawn Dollar (USA)
Carlos Burle (BRA)
Kealii Mamala (HAW)
Gabriel Villaran (USA)
Michael Ho (HAW)
Kai Lenny (HAW)
Kahea Hart (HAW)
Nathan Florence (HAW)
Damien Hobgood (USA)
Kalani Chapman (HAW)
Ryan Hipwood (AUS)
Danny Fuller (HAW)
Nic Lamb (USA)
Anthony Tashnick (HAW)
Rusty Long (HAW)
Derek Dunfee (USA)
Brock Little (HAW) - Honorable inclusion