There were emotional scenes at Waimea Bay today, as Landon McNamara won the prestigious ‘Rip Curl The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational’ in front of his father, and Contest Director, Liam McNamara.
The iconic big wave competition took place in monstrous 40+ feet surf, for just the eleventh time in its 40-year history.
Alongside taking the win, Landon also won the Best Wave Award with a perfect score of 50 out of 50, and the honour of being the first ever goofy footer to win the event.
“I don’t know how to feel right now; I think I’ve already cried ten times,” said Landon. “I’m so grateful to be here; I’m grateful to the Aikau Ohana, grateful to my Uncle Garrett and to my dad. I’m grateful to Eddie. They say Eddie picks the winner; I’m just so grateful he picked me.”
Landon’s father, Liam McNamara, who is also a highly decorated surfer, took on the role of this year’s Contest Director. One of his most stressful responsibilities involved making the decision of whether or not to run the event.
“We didn’t really know if it was going to be an Eddie-sized swell until about 3-4 days before. Not one swell forecaster told me I should run [the event], and no one said that I shouldn’t run it. Basically, they all left me on the fence. Ultimately, it came down to trusting my own knowledge of monitoring swells and my gut.” said Contest Director, Liam McNamara.
“A big part of deciding whether to run is making sure that there are enough consistently big waves to give all surfers enough opportunity. It was a tough decision and a bit of waiting game, but ultimately, the Bay called the day,” continued McNamara.
Liam taught Landon to surf just down the road from where the event was won.
“As a dad, I don’t know if there are many days that will surpass this one,” said Liam. “I think your circle of life is always blessed when you live from the heart, that’s the motto that I try to live by, and I think that was returned to my family today.”
The event featured a lineup of 35 men and 10 women whose scores were determined by their best 3 waves. The competitors were a mix of current surfing legends, local up & coming Hawaiians, and big-wave royalty.
The cultural significance of this event cannot be overstated. More than a competition, the day was a living tribute to Hawaiian hero, Eddie Aikau, to community, and to Hawaiian culture.
“Today has been one of the best days we could have hoped for. Great weather, consistent surf. You can just feel Eddie’s spirit so strong,” said Linda Aikau, President of the Eddie Aikau Foundation and younger sister of Eddie Aikau.
“We are so proud to be the instrument that makes all of this happen. There are a lot of sponsors and foundation members that work really hard to get where we are today and we are so happy to see it result in such as successful day, and something we can continue to perpetuate in Eddie’s honor. He helped so many people, and he still continues to do so ‘til this very day,” Linda finished.
Remembered by his family and all those who surfed today in his honor, Eddie’s legacy continues to reverberate through Waimea Bay, where he once patrolled the shore.
Rip Curl is honored to have partnered with the Aikau Foundation on this iconic event and looks forward to a long and successful future together.
Event Results:
Landon McNamara
Mason Ho
Billy Kemper
Jamie O’Brien
Nic Lamb
Luke Shepardson
Nathan Florence
Kai Lenny
Koa Rothman
Best wave: Landon McNamara
Mark Foo Spirit Award: Greg Long