In 1967, Eddie cracked a giant swell at Waimea Bay and made his mark in the world of big wave riding. Greg Noll, Mike Stang, George Downing, John Kelly, and Sammy Lee were huge inspirations. He dreamed of reaching the height of his heroes. As a competitor, his best contest result was a win in the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship.Įddie Aikau saw big wave surfing not as a competition but as a personal goal. At the time, there were no jet skis or zodiacs - just two youngsters with a board and swim fins.ĭuring his career as a lifeguard at Waimea Bay, Eddie Aikau managed to rescue and save the lives of over 500 people.Įddie took on every major swell to come through the North Shore from 1967 to 1978. The two brothers worked together for ten years until 1978 and never lost one person. He was high risk at an early age," says younger brother Clyde Aikau.Įddie was the first official lifeguard hired by the City & County of Honolulu to work at Waimea Bay, on Oahu's North Shore, back in 1967.Īt the same time, he challenged the biggest waves on offer in the Hawaiian Islands. "Eddie was a pretty quiet guy, but when there was a challenge, or some risk to be taken, or a game to be played that everybody wanted to win, Eddie seemed to rise to the top. ![]() He was the second-oldest of the five Aikau kids and the leader of their pack from their earliest days on Maui to their surfing days on the South and North Shore of Oahu. The surfer, lifeguard, family man, friend, traveler, musician, and hero inspired future generations of wave riders worldwide.Įdward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was born in Kahului, Hawaii, on May 4, 1946. George is a surfing authority and is sure to take viewers on a memorable journey through the life of the sport's most mysterious pioneer.įollow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.The life of Eddie Aikau is the incredible story of the ultimate Hawaiian waterman. Regardless of whether you're a fan of surfing, "Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau" will be worth checking out. In addition to featuring captivating personal stories, there will be plenty of stunning rarely-seen footage from decades ago, showing how Aikau tamed some of the world's most dangerous waves. ![]() George's film will feature several interviews with other surfing pioneers, including Eddie's brother, Clyde, who can be seen in the below clip from 30 for 30 on Twitter: His undefeated record as a lifeguard made him a real-life hero to Hawaiians. ![]() Even more impressive, not a single person died under Aikau's watch at the lifeguard tower. ![]() As mentioned before, he became the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay and spent a decade in the tower, rescuing more than 500 people. There's a memorial surfing tournament held in his honor, the Quicksilver Big Wave Invitational, but images of Aikau shredding Hawaii's massive waves are difficult to come by.īut Aikau wasn't just a phenomenal big wave surfer. Here, we'll get you set with everything you need to know for Tuesday's 30 for 30 documentary.Īs director Sam George points out in 's film summary, despite his legendary status among the surfing community, very little information is known about Aikau.
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