Mais sobre o Eddie Aikau
O Quiksilver em Memória de Eddie Aikau, que acontece em homenagem ao lendário waterman havaiano, Eddie Aikau e reúne os mais dinâmicos e experientes surfistas de ondas grandes do mundo, é considerado o maior desafio de um surfista, que usa sua força física para remar e dropar ondas gigantes.

O evento é o mais longo e prestigioso evento de ondas grandes do mundo e o único sancionado pela Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), órgão máximo do surf profissional.

O que começou como um tributo havaiano a um de seus “filhos” surfistas favoritos, em 1984, logo foi tomando corpo e a sua própria história é a razão pelo evento continuar crescendo. Eddie Aikau apareceu para personificar todas as qualidades humanas que honramos hoje: respeito, humildade, paixão e amor ao próximo.

Na Baía de Waimea Bay, por mais de 25 anos, sua história é contada, atravessando o mundo, tocando corações, mente e imaginações: de uma vida vivida com paixão e finalizada heroicamente.

Há 33 anos, com apenas aos 31 anos de idade, Aikau perdeu sua vida numa tentativa de salvar os outros, mas longe de ser esquecida, sua vida, as ondas que surfou, e as vidas que salvou na Baía de Waimea, se tornaram parte da história, passada de pessoa a pessoa pelo mundo, como uma onda procurando à costa. O Eddie aconteceu apenas 8 vezes em 25 anos.

English version
22 November, 2010 : – - Waimea Bay — Quiksilver.com/Eddie launched today with the announcement of the 28 coveted Invitees and 24 Alternates to The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy. The event will be held on one day, between December 1, 2010 and February 28, 2011, when waves exceed the 20-foot minimum threshold and Invitees contend for the $98,000 prize purse. The traditional opening ceremony will take place at 2:30pm, December 2nd, 2010, at Waimea Bay.

Monster Energy will be presenting the Monster Drop Award for the surfer who makes the most critical drop and rides out of it during the event. The judges will determine the winner the day of the competition and will present the chosen surfer with a unique Monster Drop Specialty Award.

Invitees Alternates

Clyde Aikau HAW Kahea Hart HAW (Aikau Pick)
Kala Alexander HAW Ross Williams HAW
Tom Carroll AUS Nathan Fletcher USA
Kohl Christensen HAW Mark Mathews AUS
Ross Clarke-Jones AUS Sion Miloski HAW
Shane Dorian HAW Kalani Chapman HAW
Keone Downing HAW Keoni Watson HAW
Sunny Garcia HAW Anthony Tashnick USA
Mark Healey HAW Ian Walsh HAW
Michael Ho HAW Koby Abberton AUS
Bruce Irons HAW Danny Fuller HAW
Noah Johnson HAW Kealii Mamala HAW
Rusty Keaulana HAW Ken Collins USA
Brock Little HAW Myles Padaca HAW
Greg Long USA Laurie Towner AUS
Reef McIntosh HAW Jamie Mitchell AUS
Garrett McNamara HAW Paul Patterson AUS
Peter Mel USA Andrew Marr HAW
Ramon Navarro CHL Rusty Long USA
Jamie O’Brien HAW Tony Ray AUS
Makuakai Rothman HAW Derek Ho HAW
Kelly Slater USA Taylor Knox USA
Jamie Sterling HAW Tau Hannemann HAW
Dave Wassell HAW Manoa Drollet TAH
Grant Baker ZAF
Chris Bertish EU
Carlos Burle BRA
Takayuki Wakita JPN

Honorary Invitees
Donny Solomon HAW
Jay Moriarity USA
Lester Falatea HAW
Mark Foo HAW
Peter Davi USA
Tiger Espere HAW
Todd Chesser HAW
Andy Irons HAW

Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman, Eddie Aikau, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau gathers the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the globe. The Eddie is a surfer’s ultimate challenge, employing unassisted manpower to physically paddle into and ride giant waves.

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau is the world’s longest running and most prestigious big-wave invitational and is the only one sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing.

What began as a local tribute to one of Hawaii’s favorite surfing sons in 1984, soon took on a life all its own and the story is the reason why this event continues to grow. Eddie Aikau has come to personify all of the human qualities we honor today: respect, humility, passion, and a love for fellow man. Waimea Bay was the canvas upon which his story is told each year, in his memory. For over 25 years, it is a story that has traversed the globe to touch hearts, minds and imaginations: a life lived with passion, dedicated with meaning, and exited from heroically.

Just 31 years of age when he lost his life in an attempt to save others, Aikau has physically been gone longer – 33 years – than he was here. But far from being forgotten, his life, the waves he rode, and the lives he saved on his ancestral grounds at Waimea Bay have become a part of history, passed on from person to person around the world like a wave seeking shore.

The Eddie has run just eight times in 25 years. You don’t want to miss it when the Bay calls the momentous day. Go to Quiksilver.com/Eddie for swell updates, happenings from the North Shore, and to sign up for text alerts to make sure you’re the first to know when the Bay calls the day!

Videos das baterias / Heats Highlights

Bateria 7 Quiksilver Ceremonial (Final):

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Bateria 6 Quiksilver Ceremonial (Semifinal 2):

Bateria 5 Quiksilver Ceremonial (Semifinal 1):

Bateria 4 Quiksilver Ceremonial:

Terceira Bateria Quiksilver Ceremonial:

Highlights Heat 3 (Resumen Manga 3)

Segunda Bateria Quiksilver Ceremonial:

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Primeira Bateria Quiksilver Ceremonial:

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English version

Unlikely local upstart wins Quiksilver Ceremonial in Chile

Cristian Merello wins the Quiksilver Cerimonial Punta de Lobos. Check out the Quiksilver Ceremonial Punta de Lobos final results and Highlights form Chile. See the videos by clicking the tabs above.
Text by: Jason Murray / Source: http://espn.go.com

Much to everyone’s surprise, the morning of the Quiksilver Ceremonial big-wave contest started off a little slow. Expectations were that yesterday we’d awake up to the thunderous sound of 15-foot sets marching across the reef of Punta Lobos. Instead, it was 8 to 10 feet, clean and glassy. Definitely not the ideal situation for a big-wave event. I guess forecasting isn’t perfect after all.

Then again, by the time the finals rolled around, the sets were peaking in the 18-to-20-foot range and it was considerably more serious. And with an all-star cast in said final that included Santa Cruz’s Peter Mel, Hawaii’s Mark Healey and Jamie Sterling, and of course, Greg Long, it was most definitely on. But even with big-waves heavies crowding the sizable lineup, it was Chilean charger Cristian Merello that managed walked away with the top honors. Displaying local knowledge, a committed approach, and a sheer will to win, 27-year-old Merello conquered the heavy lefts with a level of comfort and confidence well beyond his years.

Merello was elated with his accomplishment on a number of levels. “Winning this event was really special for me and it wasn’t just for me, it was for my mother, who is battling cancer and for the community of Pichilemu,” he explained. “My strategy was to sit as deep as possible and wait for the biggest waves. I felt so comfortable out there and I’ve surfed that board so many times at this spot that I knew what to do and did my best. Now, I’m hoping to get an invitation to the contest in Peru so I can keep going”.

Up until now, most of the surf world had never heard of Merello, but true to underground form, he has been charging the points of Chile for years. He’s gained invaluable experience as Ramon Navarro’s tow partner, and has now made amends for an early exit in last year’s semifinal that saw him suffer a knee injury and a subsequent three months of rehab.

“I’m stoked that Cristian won because his mom needed it and it’s good for his career,” told the ever-humble Navarro, the godfather of Chilean big-wave surfing. “It was a close call between Gabriel and him, but most importantly, it’s just amazing seeing the Latin American guys compete with the best big-wave surfers in the world.”

Diego Medina, of Horcon, Chile, won the biggest drop of the day and the Waterman Award in Memory of Noel Robinson, which was voted on by fellow competitors. His wave was hands down the biggest wave of the day.

The community of Pichelemu and the other coastal cities of this region have had a rough go the past four months. This event, although brief, provided a well-deserved break and distraction from picking up the pieces of life after the earthquake and tsunami. It has been a long road to recovery, and they still have a long way to go, but optimism is in the air and the excitement of a hometown boy winning definitely added to the positive atmosphere. It’s good to see the local boys doing well and the crowd getting behind them. And to add to the aloha just a little bit more, all of the finalists agreed to donate half of their prize money to aid in earthquake relief.

“It was a fantastic start to the new season,” said Big Wave World Tour director Gary Linden, who was more than pleased with the day’s events. “To bring a world-class event to a rebounding community with the surfers donating half of their prize money to the benefit of the local fisherman was a gesture in the spirit of the passion that is driving this tour. We do it because we love it and we want to share that feeling with the rest of the world.”

With the first event of the 2010 Big Wave World Tour all wrapped up, the pisco flowing like water, and the basado providing a top-notch dinner, the day came to a perfect end. While some rocked out to a Doors cover band late into the night, a few of the competitors quickly re-packed their guns and headed up to Puerto to chase the swell. Surely, it’s going to be bombing up there this weekend — the biggest swell of the summer thus far, and with a good warm up under their belts here in Chile, the crew is ready for some giant beach break barrels.

Results:
1) Cristian Merello (Chile)
2) Gabriel Villaran (Peru)
3) Peter Mel (USA)
4) Jamie Sterling (Hawaii)
5) Mark Healey (Hawaii)
6) Greg Long (USA)