El Nino has been in full force, and Hawaii being the forefront of plenty surf with the biggest swell in 20 years having made contact with the North Shore a few hours ago. Event organisers have called a green alert for The Eddie to run on Thursday morning, February 25.
The event almost ran 2 weeks ago and we’re hoping wind and swell collaborate for a spectacular day of big wave surfing. The call to go will be made at the beach on Thursday morning. If on, the event will run from 8am.
Tune in for the call tonight at 8pm local time and watch some of the world’s best compete for the title.
To watch the event live tonight tune in to www.worldsurfleague.com
Twig, on the button for an Eddie title. “This was the morning after what many are calling the biggest swell seen in 20 years in Hawaii and there were still a few big waves coming through for the first hour or so. It was a perfect warm up session for me, 10 quick waves before the crowds and I made almost all of them into the channel. Now its time to GO!” – @granttwigbaker Photo: @mattp.aul via @Vissla Instagram
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MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Location: Waimea Bay, North Shore, Oahu
Event window: 4 December – 28 February 2016 – ‘The Bay Calls the Day’
Today’s call: The Eddie is Called ON for Wednesday 10 February
Conditions: Projected 12 to 15 metres (35-45 foot plus)
Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker Heads to Hawaii for Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau
Prestigious Big Wave Event at Waimea Bay Draws World’s Best Big Wave Surfers
Live Wednesday at Worldsurfleague.Com
WAIMEA BAY, Oahu/Hawaii (Monday, February 8, 2016) – The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, a World Surf League Specialty Event, has been called ON for Wednesday, February 10 at the world-renowned Waimea Bay. This will be the ninth time this prestigious event has run in its storied, 31-year history.
The best big wave surfers will take on the 20-foot-plus (Hawaiian) swell as organisers anticipate a solid day of surf that will meet the event’s strict wave face height requirement of 40 feet, with favourable light winds in the morning, turning light trades by afternoon.
Durban’s Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker is jetting to Hawaii after receiving the call up on Sunday. An invitee for the past eight years, he is the only South African to have competed in the event (2009) and is again the only one from this country in the elite 28 man invitational field this year.
The 42 year-old who recently became a father for the first time, returned to the country three weeks ago to rehabilitate a nagging back injury after charging the massive El Nino swells in California, Mexico and Hawaii during December and January where he competed in the Big Wave Tour event at Jaws on the island of Maui.
However, the lure of joining the world’s best exponents in the most prestigious big wave event on the planet was strong enough for Baker to pack his bags and boards and head back halfway around the world to compete at Waimea Bay.
“It has taken us six years to pull the trigger, but this is the first swell we have seen that is truly lining up as an Eddie swell,” said Event Director Glen Moncata.
Moncata and the organizing team continue to confer with event patriarch George Downing, who has made the call on every event since its inception.
“As George has famously said, ‘The Bay Calls the Day’ and that will be Wednesday,” added Moncata.
The Eddie will be contested by 28 invitees, including BWT current rankings’ leader and 2009 Eddie winner 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).
Baker will be up against Slater and experienced Hawaiian Dave Wassel in both his heats, along with four other competitors.
The format sees everyone in the field compete twice with their best four rides from the two heats totalled to determine the winner. This makes the event difficult to run as it is imperative that the wave faces remain in the13 metre plus range throughout the day so competitors in all the heats, from the first to the last, have an equal opportunity to impress the judges.
This WSL Specialty Big-Wave event is named for native Hawaiian, champion big wave surfer and life-saving Waimea Bay lifeguard, Eddie Aikau. The event honours Aikau’s legendary courage.
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau will be webcast LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com as well as the WSL app starting at approximately 8pm South African time. The event will be carried by our LIVE broadcast partners Fox Sports Australia, CNS Sports in the United States, ESPN Brazil, Globosat, Edgesport, Sky NZ, Sport TV, Canal + Deportes, Channel Nine, MCS, and Starhub.
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 Wassel (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 Wassel (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)
ENDS
Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker, seen here at Jaws, is on his way to Hawaii to compete in the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave event at Waimea Bay on Wednesday.
Image: Nick Ricca
Note: High resolution images will be available after the event on request to Media Outlets.
About the World Surf League
The mission of the WSL is simple: to inspire positive change for surfing, our fans and the environment. Formerly the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the WSL has been championing the world’s best surfing since 1976, running global products across the Samsung Galaxy men’s and women’s Championship Tours, Big Wave Tour, Qualifying Series, Junior and Longboard Championships, as well as the WSL Big Wave Awards. The League possesses a deep appreciation for the sport’s rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation and performance at the highest levels; it strives to put the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves.
Showcasing the world’s best surfing on its digital platform at WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL has energized an already-passionate global fan base with millions around the world tuning-in to see the likes of Kelly Slater, Filipe Toledo, Gabriel Medina, Makua Rothman, Grant “Twiggy” Baker, Greg Long, Stephanie Gilmore, John John Florence, Carissa Moore and others do battle in the most dynamic field of play in all of sports. For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
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Email: cfitch@worldsurfleague.com
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