Kelly Slater Talks Surfing the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational

Few surf contests hold the same respect, the gravitas as The Eddie.

It's: The. Eddie. Period.

Like Beyonce or Prince, it’s on a first name basis in the lexicon of surf and non-surf cultures. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is big, and not just 'cause the waves.

And so, someone like Kelly Slater (who won The Eddie back in 2002) would obviously have respect for such a venerated mainstay of surfing lore.

During the opening ceremony of the contest window season for this season, Slater said:

“Thirty-plus years of invites to the Eddie has been a huge honor Waimea has been instrumental in all our lives with Brock Little inspiring us as young kids and testing our convictions in wanting to surf big waves and formed us into men.

“Eddie (Aikau) and Duke (Kahanamoku) stand out as two of the most important figures in the history of surfing and Hawaii. For so many of us, this is more than a celebration of our culture and community than a competition. You can feel the spirit in everyone when the bay calls the day. The Eddie stands out as the original big wave challenge, an event the whole state of Hawaii and the surfing world looks forward to every winter season. Fingers crossed, the Eddie event will run in the 2023-2024 season.

The 2023-2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational Surf Contest will have a waiting period of Dec. 14 through March 12, 2024. Learn more here.

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