Eddie Aikau Invitees just announced! November 18, 2009 – Tags:

Here is the list of names of the invitees for the 2009/2010 Eddie Aikau to be ran at Waimea Bay.
Andy Irons (HAW)
Brian Keaulana (HAW)
Brock Little (HAW)
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Carlos Burle (BRA)
Clyde Aikau (HAW)
Darryl Virostko (USA)
Greg Long (USA)
Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Jamie Sterling (HAW)
Kelly Slater (USA)
Keone Downing (HAW)
Makuakai Rothman (HAW)
Mark Healey (HAW)
Michael Ho (HAW)
Noah Johnson (HAW)
Peter Mel (USA)
Reef McIntosh (HAW)
Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS)
Rusty Keaulana (HAW)
Shane Dorian (HAW)
Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Tom Carroll (AUS)
Titus Kinimaka (HAW)
International Invitees
Takayuki Wakita (JPN)
Grant Baker (ZAF)
Ramon Navarro (CHL)
Ibon Amatriain (SPN)
This will be the 25th year in existance of this event and is probably the most anticipated surfing events of all time. the event has a 2 month waiting period and is only run when the bay exceeds 25 foot plus swells, in these 25 years the event has been run 9 times here is a timeline of the history of the event. (thanks to Quiksilver.com)
Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Timeline:
Winter of 1984/1985 – First memorial event in Aikau’s honor held at Sunset Beach, won by Denton Miyamura.
1986/1987 – Eddie Aikau event moved to Waimea, won by Clyde Aikau in onshore 20-foot surf, Feb. 21, 1987
1989/1990 – Event runs in late January, wave heights 25-foot plus. Memorable waves were Brock Little’s crazy tuberide, and the perfect score by Richard Schmidt for his magic carpet drop. Event was ultimately won by Keone Downing.
1995/1996 – Event runs on Dec. 29. Only one of two rounds was held, with no declared winner.
1997/1998 – A large swell came in January. The waves were over 30 feet, which was deemed too big, and ironically and the event didn’t go.
1998/1999 – The event ran on New Year’s day. Noah Johnson, the smallest surfer in the event at 5’3″, was unstoppable on a day of cartoonish proportions.
2000/2001 – The event ran on January 12. Ross Clarke-Jones, an invitee since the beginning of the event at Waimea finally got his just reward in 20-foot plus.
2001/2002 – The event ran in January. Kelly Slater proved that his supreme status is not limited to the world tour.
2004/2005 – The event ran on December 15, just 9 days into the holding period. Booming 25-plus and a maximum capacity crowd for the 20th anniversary event. Bruce Irons won with his ride to the shore which culminated in a mind-blowing, crowd roaring closeout barrel.