By Amanda Blackwell – “Eddie would go.” A common vernacular often said to pay homage to the Herculean legend, one of the most revered watermen in Hawaiian history– Eddie Aikau. The most culturally significant contest in the history of surfing was dedicated in his name, as we know. Yet back when the contest took shape in 1984, it was likely no one had any idea that a woman, maybe donning a ponytail, would be among the elite to be invited. That changed in 2019-2020 when the first females were invited among the industry and Hawaiʻi’s elite, yet like most years, a decent Eddie-worthy swell didn’t materialize. With COVID and the hurdles of the pandemic in 2020, the women had to patiently wait on the sidelines for their opportunity. Then came 2023—and on January 23rd the Eddie was on. Out of the 40 surfers, 6 of them were women.
It hasn’t always been easy for women in the water, especially the niche of big wave surfing. In Hawaiian history, female Hawaiian royalty was known for surfing alongside the men, one of the only places where a semblance of equality existed. But as surfing began to rise in popularity in the 1950’s and 1960’s, women were viewed as an accessory on the shore instead of an equal, capable of surfing like the men. Even in the iconic 1966 documentary, The Endless Summer, the god-like men from California traveled around the world on an epic wave hunt, while the women were minimized to a commodity in a bikini on the beach. Women have come a long way in the world of surfing, but most of the progress has been made in only the last decade.
In 2016, Keala Kennelly co-founded the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing with other big wave goddesses where they challenged local governments for equity in the water. Their efforts were worthwhile when they lobbied California officials to put pressure on the inclusion of women in the contest at Mavericks by threatening permits for the event. Many veteran Mavericks’ surfers on the board were men who had surfed Mav’s since the 90’s, claiming that women weren’t at the same level, and the spots should be for the men who deserved it. They eventually caved, however, due to permit issues, where a board member made a statement that it was “quite simply the right time.” The right time, because the women fought to be included.
The contest at Mavericks set the precedent, where women and big wave surfing were continuing to evolve, and these chargers were beginning to be taken seriously. Fast forward to 2018, just 2 years after the female Mavericks’ debut. Keala Kennely herself was the first female to be invited to the Eddie out of 28 invitees. The following year, 2019-2020, a record-breaking nine females were included on the elite invite list. The evolution was gaining momentum, but the contest hadn’t been held since 2016.
In all 34 years of The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational history, the event has only been held 10 times, making it the most elusive and coveted contest in the world of surfing. When the Eddie gets called on, the world of surfing seemingly stops. When the announcement hit in 2023 that the contest was on, it was time for 6 women —Paige Alms, Andrea Moller, Keala Kennelly, Justine Dupont and Makani Adric– to make history.
Each woman expressed immense gratitude to be included in the event, knowing its trailblazing significance. Keala Kennelly said, “…they haven’t had the event in the last 7 years and to actually be here on this day, put on a jersey and paddle out there, and now it’s not just me, and I’m going to be out there with 5 of my other sisters—you’re watching history in the making.” Paige Alms mirrored this sentiment, “To be here, I hope we are putting on a good show to inspire the younger generations. Not in my wildest dreams as a kid would I think that women would be included in such an iconic event.”
Makani Adric, a North Shore native, who has surfed Waimea since she was 16, knew what a big deal it was for women and surfing. “I didn’t think it was possible for a woman to now be surfing in the Eddie and to be invited to such an iconic event. I was in disbelief. As a female I would never think that 6 women were able to have a position and surf amongst the 40 invites.”
Like many women pushing the barriers, Makani Adric surfs for the sheer love of the sport and appreciation of the ocean. She spoke to this sentiment of being out in the lineup at Waimea the day of the contest. “I can’t explain the actual feeling sitting out there. It was so big and exciting,” Makani had a beautiful wave that looked seemless, hanging on for the reform, donning a pink jersey, nonetheless. A woman may not have won the event, but they claimed some noteworthy waves. Andrea Moller caught the first wave as a woman for the event, making it look easy. Keala Kennelly had an insane airdrop and one of the craziest wipeouts of the day, where everyone watching had to pick their jaws up off the floor. Yet she paddled right back out like nothing happened. If you want respect, that’s exactly how you earn it.
In 2023, the 6 women who paddled out on that January day made history, and now the world can see what females are capable of. These women were trailblazers in their own right, inspiring generations of young female chargers to come. Even just 10 years ago, the idea of surfing the Eddie for a young girl was not possible. But thanks to these 6 women, the Eddie is a dream that can be manifested. With the 2024-2025 invitee list being released, the number of women participating is increasing. This year, 10 women were invited, including 5 additional alternates.
When the Aikau family started this contest in Eddie’s name, they wanted to celebrate Eddie because he was not only a coveted waterman, but his love of surfing was contagious and he wanted to spread the joy of the sport. We can’t help but wonder what Eddie would think about these women, and he has to be proud of how far the sport has come. When someone asks, “would Eddie go?” A little girl somewhere can mutter the words, “Yes, Eddie would go. But girls would too.”