Quiksilver and the Aikau's Reach an Agreement: The Eddie Will Go

Following a disagreement between Quiksilver and the Aikau family, last month we were left fearing the worst: The Eddie isn't going to run, ending its 31 year-old track record.

However, we were offered a glimmer of hope when Quiksilver said they would hand the event permit over to the family. But since then, apart from a few floating rumours, the trail had gone quiet. Only now can we tell you with certainty that the saga has come to an end. The two parties have reached an agreement and The Eddie will run this year—providing sufficient swell of course.

“We are proud to see the tradition of The Eddie continue without interruption—a testament to our respect for Eddie Aikau, the Aikau family, the Hawaiian people, and the community at large," said Pierre Agnes, Quiksilver’s CEO. "We are very grateful for the efforts and support of the Aikau family and the World Surf League under the leadership of Paul Speaker who have all worked very hard with our team over the past few weeks to come up with a solution.”

The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1st and the waiting period will run until February, 28th. So, let's take a look at this year's invitees:

Below are the alternates. Notice Keala Kennelly on the list? Well, she has just become the first woman ever to be invited to surf in The Eddie—she'll need quite a few dropouts, sure, but it's another big step for women's big wave surfing.

Alternates
Luke Shepherd
Kai Lenny
Nathan Fletcher
Noah Johnson
Nathan Florence
Ramon Navarro
Keali Mamala
Pedro Calado
Jamie Sterling
Nic Lamb
Keala Kennelly
Danilo Couto
Mark Matthews
Kalani Chapman
Ben Wilkinson
Gabriel Villaran
Damien Hobgood
Kahea Hart
Ryan Hipwood
Carlos Burle
Kyle Shipman
Danny Fuller
Anthony Tashnick
Rusty Long