HALEIWA, Hawaii (Island News) – A yellow warning has been issued for the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, with a possible run this Sunday.

The 2024-2025 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational will take place when surf reaches a consistent 40 feet between December 14, 2024 and March 13, 2025. After officials changed the status to yellow today, the Waimea Bay competition could potentially begin on Sunday, December 22nd.

The surfing competition is based on a three-color code alarm system. A green alert means the Eddie is going on and will happen in two to three days. Yellow indicates there may be a swell large enough to sustain competition in five to seven days. If red is issued, it means no big surf is expected within the week.

The Eddie is also a local festival that invites surfers to showcase their high-performance surfing on Oahu’s North Shore.

Since it began in 1984, the competition has only been held ten times.

This year there are 45 participants taking part, including 10 women and 35 men.

Here is a list of invitees for 2024-2025:

KĀNE

Aaron Gold (HI)

Billy Kemper (HI)

Bruce Irons (HI – WINNER 2004)

Chad Keaulana (HI)

Eli Olson (HI)

Ezekiel Lau (HI)

Francisco Porcella (ITALY)

Greg Long (CA – WINNER 2009)

Ian Walsh (HI)

Jake Maki (HI)

Jamie Mitchell (HI)

Jamie O’Brien (HI)

John John Florence (HI – WINNER 2016)

Jojo Roper (CA)

Kai Lenny (HI)

Kauli Vaast (TAHITI – Olympic champion 2024)

Keali’I Mamala (HI)

Kelly Slater (CA – WINNER 2002)

Koa Rothman (HI)

Kohl Christensen (HI)

Landon McNamara (HI)

Lucas Chianca (BRAZIL)

Luke Shepardson (HI – WINNER 2023)

Makuakai Rothman (HI)

Mark Healey (HI)

Mason Ho (HI)

Matt Bromley (SOUTH AFRICA)

Nathan Florence (HI)

Nic Lamb (CA)

Peter Mel (CA)

Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS – WINNER 2001)

Russell Bierke (AUS)

Taio Shipman (HI)

Torrey Masters (HI)

Tyler Larronde (HI)

ALTERNATIVES

Ha’a Aikau (HI)

Joey Cadiz (HI)

Eala Stewart (HI)

Ben Wilkinson (AUS)

Grant Twiggy Baker (SOUTH AFRICA)

Koa Smith (HI)

Tiger Doerner (HI)

Michael Sanborn (HI)

Ivan Florence (HI)

Mikey O’Shaughnessy (HI)

Kala Grace (HI)

Barron Mamiya (HI)

Tom Robert Lowe (Great Britain)

Alonso Correa (PERU)

Othmane Choufani (MOROCCO)

Natxo Gonzalez (SPAIN)

Isamu Sumi (JAPAN)

Cristian Merello (CHILE)

Manny Resano (NICARAGUA)

Conor Maguire (IRELAND)

WAHINE

Annie Starr Reichert (HI)

Bianca Valenti (CA)

Emily Erickson (HI)

Felicity Palmateer (AUS)

Justine Dupont (FRANCE)

Keala Kennelly (HI)

Laura Enever (AUS)

Makani Adric (HI)

Moana Jones Wong (HI)

Paige Alms (HI)

ALTERNATIVES

Izzy Gomez (HI)

Skylar Lickle (HI)

Tiare Lawrence (HI)

Andrea Moller (HI)