One of the world’s most prestigious and storied surfing contests is expected to be held Sunday in Hawaii for the first time in seven years.
And this year female surfers will be competing alongside the men for the first time in the 39-year history of The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.
Organizer Clyde Aikau said at a news conference Friday that he was expecting waves to reach 25-30 feet by Hawaii measurements or 50-60 feet on the national scale.Other places around the world have big wave surfing events: Mavericks in California, Nazare in Portugal and Peahi on Hawaii's Maui Island. But author Stuart Coleman says The Eddie is distinguished by how it honors Eddie Aikau, a legendary Native Hawaiian waterman, for his selflessness, courage and sacrifice.
Aikau died in 1978 at the age of 31 during an expedition to sail a traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe from Honolulu to Tahiti. Just hours out of port, the giant double-hulled canoe known as the Hokulea took on water and overturned in stormy weather. Aikau volunteered to paddle several miles to nearby Lanai Island on his surfboard to get help for the rest of the crew but was never seen again.
She said they've had to fight to be included and have meanwhile shown that they could handle big waves in spots around the world.
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