Photo: Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational

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The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational has the green light for Sunday, December 22, 2024. The call was confirmed on social media Friday morning.

Wave surfaces between 30 and 40 feet are expected throughout the day. Meanwhile, winds are expected to blow offshore in the morning and shift to a light, onshore flow shortly after midday. Onshore winds will reach around 10 knots around 3pm on Sunday and continue into the evening. Hopefully the majority of the competition will be completed by then.

The Eddie is known to only run if the wave height in Waimea Bay reaches 40 feet for a full day within the competition’s 90-day waiting period. This year’s competition window opened on December 14th and runs until March 13th, 2025. Because the wave conditions and size are so rare, the event has only taken place ten times since its first launch in 1984.

A yellow alert was placed on this year’s event on Wednesday (December 18), but since then there has been a strong feeling that the green light was coming. Now that the call has been made, those invited by Eddie will hopefully make their way to the North Coast in time for the first run on Sunday morning.

Men:
Aaron Gold (HI)
Billy Kemper (HI)
Bruce Irons (HI – 2004 winner)
Chad Keaulana (HI)
Eli Olson (HI)
Ezekiel Lau (HI)
Francisco Porcella (Italy)
Greg Long (CA – 2009 Winner)
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)
Kealii Mamala (HI)
Kelly Slater (CA – 2002 Winner)
Koa Rothman (HI)
Kohl Christensen (HI)
Landon McNamara (HI)
Lucas Chianca (BRAZIL)
Luke Shepardson (HI – 2023 Winner)
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 – 2001 winner)
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)

Women:
Annie Reichert (HI)
Bianca Valenti (CA)
Emily Erickson (HI)
Felicity Palmateer (Australia)
Justine Dupont (France)
Keala Kennelly (HI)
Laura Enever (AUS)
Makani Adric (HI)
Moana Jones Wong (HI)
Paige Alms (HI)

Alternatives:
Izzi Gomez (HI)
Skylar Lickle (HI)
Tiare Lawrence (HI)
Andrea Moller (HI)