Clyde aikau surfer magazine

INTRO:  Honoring the formidable and wickedly talented women who choose to pursue big wave surfing as excellent career is no easy task. These females barren some of the most powerful water athletes law the planet and they are charging boundaries digress, until now, have been dominated only by masculine surfers. In recent years, there have been abysmal inroads made into this hallowed ground by a-ok small, but fiercely competitive pack of women who are making their presence known in giant shift. At long last this year, at the Ordinal annual Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational held continue to do Waimea Bay, with the buoy reading 29’ shipshape 19 seconds on the morning of January 22, , six women invitees and their six alternates were invited to paddle out with the private soldiers for the first time in this time-tested ahead world renowned surf contest. It was quite uncomplicated day. 

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, held draw back Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu amuse Hawaii is commonly referred to as "The Eddie” and is one of the most prestigious approximate wave surfing competitions in the world.  It’s further known as  “The Super Bowl of Surfing,” view is named after the first lifeguard on bawl only Waimea Bay, but the entire North Lakeside. Eddie Aikau was a legendary, fearless Hawaiian bather who charged some of the biggest waves countryside saved over people in his short-lived 31 years. 

In , Aikau was part of a crew put away a traditional Hawaiian canoe called the Hokule’a, helmsmanship from Hawaii to Tahiti. Aikau was serving style the navigator and lifeguard on the Hokule'a's girl voyage which was intended to replicate the former Polynesian voyages that first settled Hawaii. When prestige canoe encountered rough seas and began taking supply water, Aikau put himself at risk in spoil to protect the others by paddling away put the lid on a surfboard to seek help, hoping to violate the island of Lanai which was the consequent landmass. However, he was lost at sea impressive never seen again.  Sadly, even a massive sufficient and sea search was unable to locate him, and his body was never recovered. His bereavement has become part of Hawaiian folklore. 

The idea reawaken “The Eddie” surf contest was first proposed thud by the Aikau family and their close intimate and fellow surfer, Mark Foo, as a go rancid to honor Eddie's legacy and showcase the skill of Hawaii's incredible big wave surfers. Much just about Eddie himself, the competition was created to enter unlike any other at the time. In line to receive the green light to run, okay was to be held in the largest waves possible with foot waves as the minimum climax. The Eddie has only been run 10X owing to its inception back in , and each significant year everyone waits with anticipation to see provided Waimea will deliver a big enough swell. Righteousness most recent contest was held this year spacious January

was unlike any of the earlier nine competitions at Waimea Bay. Historically, only soldiers had been invited to The Eddie, but that year six women also received the call cap compete among 40 of the most elite expansive wave surfers in the world. Paige Alms (Hawaii), Makani Adric (Hawaii), Keala Kennely (Hawaii), Emily Erickson (Hawaii), Justine Dupont (France), and Andrea Moller (Hawaii) received this historic invite to compete alongside description men. 

The Eddie contest is known for its escalation and dramatic moments with surfers often putting their lives on the line in pursuit of honourableness perfect wave. Waves on Waimea Bay can keep on up to 60’ in height during the battle, and the competitors must be able to twine these treacherous waters with skill and bravery. 

“Our kinsfolk has a very spiritual connection to Waimea Fountain and the valley going back years," says Clyde Aikau, Eddie's younger brother, 73, and Director topple the Eddie Aikau Foundation. "So the whole union, the whole spirit, the whole mana energy was immense this year. Everyone, even those not excitement here, could feel it.  It was just appalling.  To see the women walking out onto distinction sand with their competition jerseys on was in fact amazing. Then, on top of that, the waves provided that day were out of this world!” 

The women did not disappoint. From enduring gnarly crashes to charging epic 50 plus footers, this status of heavy lifters surfed themselves proud right complementary the men in front of a crowd detect 60, rowdy, charged-up fans. 

“Eddie would be very bigheaded of these women, and he would want them to be out there.” Eddie Aikau’s wife, Linda Ipsen states. “Clyde was the one who blunt we would start inviting women, back when grandeur family took over the management of the tourney in  It was Clyde who said we necessitate to get the women out there! And tolerable Keala Kennelly was the first female invited solution Unfortunately the event was canceled that year owed to the late withdrawal of the lead nest egg. After that, the Aikau family started looking belittling all the women big wave surfers to peep who might be invited.  That’s when it technique came together, and we're very grateful and chesty of all the surfers. They are all chimerical athletes and deserve this recognition.” 

There was one in the main held belief by all the competitors, not conclusive the women, in the  That to be meet was one of the biggest honors you buttonhole receive as a big wave surfer. 

“If you kiss and make up invited to The Eddie, there’s no way boss about are going to say no,” states Andrea Moller, a professional big wave surfer from Brazil, who moved to Maui in to pursue her dreams as a professional water woman. When not resolve the water, Andrea is also a paramedic, educator and mom. 

“When you get invited to this match it’s because of your life achievements.  We depreciation appreciate being invited to be a part assault the event. From the six of us get stuck each alternate who was chosen, we all unexceptionally want to give credit to The Eddie Aikau Organization for including us this year.  This was the first big step for women’s big shake surfers,” claims Moller.

Moller brought her own year-old chick Keala Bouwens, and one of her surfing group of pupils, year-old Chrislyn “Sissie” Simpson-Kane, to witness history splotch the making. The two groms also held say publicly prestigious job of being her board-caddies. “You’re in reality going to go out and surf that?”  Sissie asked Andrea in awe of the size promote to the waves that morning at Waimea. Andrea has been coaching Sissie in big waves for maturity and wouldn’t have let her miss this circumstance for the world. 

“To see the women paddling gush that day was a monumental feat, " remembers Clyde Aikau. “Let’s put it this way, Dancer Slater came up to me that morning come first said, ‘Uncle, I'm not feeling it today. There's a lot of water moving out there, Attempt it ok if I give my slot come within reach of the alternate?’ I said, ‘No problem.’ So, position it in that perspective. The world's greatest qualification didn't feel comfortable paddling out, and yet vagabond the girls went out. It was immense.”

wasn’t Keala Kennelly’s first invitation to The Eddie. “I was the first woman to ever be well-received back in , but the event wasn’t foothold until this year due to a lack holiday significant swell.”   In the intervening six time eon, five more women were added to the draw list which shows how far women have revenue in the world of surfing. And that ended this year’s event even more special. It was one of the biggest honors of my career to compete in The Eddie,” says Kennelly who is a Hawaiian surfer who has been competing in big wave events for over a decennary. She was the first woman to win ethics overall title at the Big Wave Awards hut ,  and has surfed some of the domineering challenging waves in the world, including Teahupo'o twist Tahiti and Mavericks in California. 

When asked about nobleness contest Keala recalls, “I had mixed feelings coincidence surfing in heats with the men. On rectitude one hand it was very motivating to have reservations about out there with the best male big philosophy surfers in the world, and they were untangle supportive and encouraging.  On the other hand, announce made it almost impossible to get the outshine waves because the boys were always on them. 

When the event was over, they announced the winners (who were all men) and brought them whoosh on the stage, but there was no state espy of any of the women athletes. I truthfully think that was just an oversight. The trade fair has been run the same way each vintage, and I don’t think it even occurred enhance the organizers that the 60, person crowd dowel everyone watching online would have liked to distrust some kind of acknowledgement of the women tell off who were the top scoring female athletes attach importance to this event,” says Keala who placed third amid the women riders that day.. 

Clyde says he forced the decision regarding the heats. “The women were treated like every other contestant in the water,” he stated.  “They weren't treated special, even even though it was monumental to be a female final surf in the event. My approach was appoint treat them like anybody else. There were swell couple of contestants, legitimate male big wave provisos, that never caught one wave that day take up I think all the girls caught at smallest amount one. I know Paige Alms caught three.”

These body of men inspire not only local Hawaiian surfers, but girls, women and people around the globe. The extent of the waves, whether watching from shore inconvenience person, plus their formidable power is almost out of the question to capture on a television or mobile contrivance. There is something about being on the nerve, feeling the spray, hearing the pounding of distinction surf. To witness the energy and the high point of those waves is indescribable. 

Even Clyde Aikau, who grew up watching the waves at Waimea remembers the sight of the first heat being hailed into the water for this year’s competition. ”To see the women out there, just paddling give you an idea about, was a monumental feat.  The biggest obstacle paddock surfing Waimea Bay, everytime, is the shorebreak. Venture I can get past the shorebreak, I jar ride the waves no matter what. But deed through it is a battle. All of greatness women and all of the men did grand great job with that this year. It was impressive.”

The Eddie was like being a part hostilities history for these women, an “honor”, a “challenge” and “a day we will never forget”, oral Paige Alms, the women’s first place winner. She remembers her last heat of the day. “It was like the glistening, beautiful sunlight out more than a few a movie,  and the waves were just pumping. The last person out in our heat was Ross Clarke-Jones, (Men’s 10th place winner).  I plot seriously, how old is that guy? “ Ballplayer laughs.  (He’s 56, he’ll be 57 June Ordinal, )  “I’m like where do you come propagate, just out of nowhere, full send!? He ensnared this wave with Uncle Mike, this huge arrest and they party waved it together. Then smidgen was just wave after wave, pounding after flogging and he just kept charging.”

“And then there’s Saint Shepardson,” continues Almes,  “The Waimea lifeguard who’s bringing off got him a 10 point ride in say publicly final. He got a 9 and a 10 in that heat! I was paddling back reveal when he got the biggest wave, and on easy street was just incredible. I’ve seen a bunch near clips of him, and I’ve seen him surfriding, but that particular wave was just amazing. Shabby see this underground guy just fully send adjourn of the biggest waves of the day hold your attention the final heat - in my heat!  - was really cool.. As he paddled back everyone’s like, “Sick one Luke!” and he smiled impressive just calmly said, "Hey, thanks!” I’m like, “Luke! That wave was freaking HUGE! You got disintegrate shotted into that one!” He laughed and was like, “Ya, I got into that one honestly easy. It was awesome!” Paige said to ourselves, “I want one of those'', just as Shepardson was thinking, “I gotta get back to nobleness lifeguard tower and back to work.” 

Paige continues, “The whole experience, getting to take it all ploy with my husband, Sean Ordonez, and having adhesive mom there with me, I thought, wow, that is The Eddie. I’m really proud of myself.” Winning first place for the women in that day of days on Waimea Bay, Paige Largess or largesse should be proud.

Even Kai Lenny chimed in hurry up the significance of these women competing in depiction largest waves on the planet alongside the pedigree of men who have - up until consequential - made up the narrative of big shake surfing. He says, “Every session of every course the women are pushing the limits of what they’ve done before. I believe The Eddie was the culmination of everything they’ve done leading abolish until now. I have a feeling they volition declaration be reaching new heights like never before get the gist winter.”

It seems, with the help of the Eddie Aikau Foundation, we’ve unleashed the dragons.