Kelly Slater, Ian Walsh, Shane Dorian, The Eddie Ceremony, Waimea Bay

Yesterday in the early evening, an A-list of men who ride mountains paddled out at Waimea Bay, Hawaii, in memory of Eddie Aikau. The ceremony was also held to kick off the 27th annual Eddie big wave event. With entry into the event only acquired by invitation, those invited are those who’ve embodied the Hawaiian waterman spirit (see list below).

Included on that list this year are Kelly Slater, Ian Walsh and Shane Dorian, who y’see above. Though it looks a little like the best 90s Coca Cola commercial ever, it’s actually the moment when the three men entered the water for the paddle-out. There ain’t been a proper swell to hold the Eddie in a coupla years (25 foot or bigger, thanks), but hopefully this’ll be the year that the event can go.
 

2011 Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Invitees:

Brock Little, Bruce Irons, Clyde Aikau, Dave Wassel, Greg Long, Jamie O’Brien, Jamie Sterling, Kala Alexander, Kelly Slater, Keone Downing, Kohl Christensen, Makua Rothman, Mark Healey, Michael Ho, Nathan Fletcher, Noah Johnson, Peter Mel, Ramon Navarro, Reef McIntosh, Ross Clarke–Jones, Rusty Keaulana, Shane Dorian, Sunny Garcia, Tom Carroll, Carlos Burle, Grant Baker, Jeremy Flores, Takayuki Wakita

Alternates:

Kalani Chapman, Garrett McNamara, Ian Walsh, Kahea Hart, Alex Gray, Chris Bertish, Mark Mathews, Shawn Dollar, John John Florence, Danilo Couto, Jamie Mitchell, Evan Valiere, Gabriel Villaran, Danny Fuller, Keoni Watson, Ben Wilkinson, Diego Medina, Rusty Long, Derek Dunfee, Anthony Tashnick, Ken Collins, Kealii Mamala, Ross Williams, Tav Hannemann