World class surfers descend on Oahu to ride the famously dangerous surf at the Eddie Aikau surf competition, where crowds were expected to exceed 30,000

The rare Eddie Aikau big wave surf competition was finally given a green light by event officials on Thursday, marking the first time in seven years that the elite invitational has taken place, on the North Shore of the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

The world’s leading surfers, including Shane Dorian, Ross Clarke-Jones and Kelly Slater, had flown in from around the world for a chance to compete in the “Eddie” at Waimea Bay, but it was the precociously talented Hawaiian John John Florence, who was proclaimed the winner after riding some of the biggest waves of the day.

The competition crowds at the Eddie, named after a famous Hawaiian lifeguard, had been expected to exceed the 30,000 people that attended the last competition in 2009. It is only held when the size of the waves consistently reach between 30 and 40ft.



Two weeks earlier, crowds filled the North Shore in anticipation of the competition, but it was called off last minute due to insufficient swell.

But on Thursday small waves were not a problem. As the day progressed the waves began to build, and by 11am they had reached 45 to 50ft. Competitors were pounded under huge mountains of whitewater, and several surf boards broke under the pressure. Children rushed to catch the broken pieces of board as they floated into shore.

“This could be the biggest Eddie in 40 years,” said Clyde Aikau, Eddie’s brother, who was an announcer at the event and won the competition in 1986.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘Everyone is so excited.’ Photograph: Liz Barney/The Guardian

Clyde took his first wave on Thursday to huge cheers from the crowd. It’s the last time he’ll take part in the event. After he got out of the water, Clyde said: “It’s always an honor to ride for Eddie. I’ve been riding the Eddie for 31 years so it was very emotional, but it was a great send-off.”

Eleven-time surf world champion Slater was a strong contender, and scored a rare barrel in the second heat, just about scraping through as the wave crashed over him.



He came in from the water straight away and broke down during a TV interview, dedicating his last wave to North Shore surfer and close friend Brock Little, who died of cancer on 18 February.



“I’m a little emotional right now, losing Brock the other day,” he said. “I just wanted to get a barrel for Brock.”

On Wednesday night, visitors and locals began swarming the area in the hopes of getting a good spot to watch from. People lined the highway for up to four miles on either side of the bay. Many camped out along the road, or in the back of their cars. As the buzz of excitement grew, so did the lack of parking. Some places charged $25 to park three miles from the surf competition.



“Everyone is so excited,” said Maria Reed, who camped out the night before on a blanket alongside the road. “It feels like Santa is coming to town. Even the old guys have got this look in their eyes like they’re five years old.”

Indeed, the competition seemed to unleash a childish sense of wonder and excitement throughout the crowd. Many adults climbed high up into trees in search of a better vantage point. Police officers shooed crowds out of the road, and people filled every spot they could find overlooking the bay.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest People lined up for miles to get a view of the surf. Photograph: Liz Barney/The Guardian

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Bits of broken boards washed ashore. Photograph: Liz Barney/The Guardian

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Many camped out along the road. Photograph: Liz Barney/The Guardian

As the first lifeguard of Waimea Bay, Eddie Aikau saved over 500 people from Waimea’s strong waves. Eddie was lost at sea in 1978 after paddling out into stormy waters to seek help for stranded crew aboard the Hawaiian ship Hokule’a. The surf competition was created in his memory.

“This competition is a tribute to one of Hawaii’s best watermen and most recognized Hawaiians,” said Daniel Rodriguez, a local surfer. “Surfing is everything to Hawaiians. It’s how we are known to the world, and Eddie was one of the few Hawaiians that really made a name for Hawaii in surfing. It puts a lot more significance on the competition for us.”

This is only the ninth time the competition has been held since its began 31 years ago. Many of the onlookers said they had been waiting for years just to see their first Eddie.

“For me, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Sarah Wyliee, a local resident of Kauai. She said she grew up hearing about the Eddie her whole life, but was never on the island of Oahu when it was held.

Several large waves went past the safety tape lines, washing away onlookers’ bags and belongings. One particularly large set sent all the competitors paddling for the shore, in what announcers described as historic conditions.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest People camped out overnight in anticipation of the Eddie Aikau surf competition. Photograph: Liz Barney/The Guardian

“At the end of the day, this is history that everybody gets to be a part of. It’s so rare, it’s like a sacred event,” said Mark Lagunte, a surfer who spent most of Wednesday night repeatedly refreshing the surf report on his phone.

While the crowds roared in approval as surfers took on the infamously dangerous waves, many expressed concern for safety. “We’re just hoping everyone survives the competition today,” one fan said.

Waiamea Bay is infamous for its deathly strong waves. Those who camped out the night before witnessed the ocean’s growing power.

Around 7pm on Wednesday, eyewitnesses watched an unidentified man in the bay being sucked out into the ocean. One bystander rushed down to the beach to attempt to save him, but they were unable to reach the man before the waves pulled him out of sight. Search helicopters scanned the water for hours into the night, but with no luck.

