Rip Curl Eddie Aikau Announces List Of Invitees + Alternates For 2025-26
Waimea Calling.
In its 41-year history, The Eddie has run just 11 times. A worthy swell, by those numbers, occurs roughly every four years.
It’s part of the charm, really, this scarcity. The same principle applies to the Padang Padang Cup: no swell, no comp. The match must strike before you get the bonfire
Credit where it’s due to Rip Curl, who sponsor both events. As the North Shore braces for its winter onslaught, the official site has confirmed the list of 74 invitees and alternates for the 2025/26 Rip Curl Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. The stage is set, now it’s just up to the ocean to show up.
2025-2026 INVITEES
| Aaron Gold (HI-OAHU) Annie Reickert (HI-MAUI) Bianca Valenti (CALIFORNIA) Billy Kemper (HI-MAUI) Chad Keaulana (HI-OAHU) Eala Stewart (HI-OAHU) Eli Olson (HI-OAHU) Emily Erickson (HI-OAHU) Ezekiel Lau (HI-OAHU) Grant “Twiggy” Baker (SOUTH AFRICA) Ha’a Aikau (HI-OAHU) Jake Maki (HI-OAHU) Jamie Mitchell (AUS/HI) Jamie O’Brien (HI-OAHU) Joey Cadiz (HI-OAHU) John John Florence (HI-OAHU) – 2016 | Justine Dupont (FRANCE) Kai Lenny (HI-MAUI) Kelly Slater (FLORIDA) – 2004 Koa Rothman (HI-OAHU) Landon McNamara (HI-OAHU) – 2024 Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca (BRAZIL) Luke Shepardson (HI-OAHU) – 2023 Makua Rothman (HI-OAHU) Mark Healey (HI-OAHU) Mason Ho (HI-OAHU) Matahi Drollet (TAHITI) Nathan Florence (HI-OAHU) Nic von Rupp (PORTUGAL) Ross Clarke-Jones (AUSTRALIA) – 2001 Russell Bierke (AUSTRALIA) Torrey Meister (HI-MAUI) |
2025-2026 ALTERNATES
| Kāne (Men) 1. Cliff Kapono (HI-HAWAII) 2. Mikey O’Shaughnessy (HI-OAHU) 3. Isamu Sumi (JAPAN) 4. Tom Lowe (ENGLAND) 5. Kaiwi Berry (HI-OAHU) 6. Ty Simpson-Kane (HI-MAUI) 7. Michael “Mitch” Sanborn (HI-OAHU) 8. Kala Grace (HI-OAHU) 9. Albee Layer (HI-MAUI) 10. Tiger Doerner (HI-OAHU) 11. Ian Walsh (HI-MAUI) 12. Othmane Choufani (MOROCCO) 13. Tyler Larronde (HI-MAUI) 14. Taio Shipman (HI-OAHU) | 15. Jojo Roper (CALIFORNIA) 16. Koa Smith (HI-OAHU) 17. Francisco Porcella (ITALY/HI-MAUI) 18. Matt Bromley (SOUTH AFRICA) 19. Shinpei Horiguchi (HI/JAPAN) 20. Kona Oliveira (HI-OAHU) 21. Wilem Banks (CALIFORNIA) 22. Barron Mamiya (HI-OAHU) Wahine (Women) 1. Anne Dos Santos (BRAZIL) 2. Paige Alms (HI-MAUI) 3. Laura Enever (AUSTRALIA) 4. Makani Adric (HI-OAHU) 5. Tiare Lawrence (HI-MAUI) 6. Zoe Chait (CALIFORNIA) |
The Eddie has run the past two years, which, by the cold logic of numbers, means a third consecutive year would be a statistical anomaly. But of course, this year we tragically lost Clyde Aikau, so maybe there’s an extra layer of spiritual energy pulsing through the Hawaiian islands.
Among the invitees is last year’s winner, Landon McNamara, who, just days after claiming the trophy, found himself slapped with a warrant for his arrest (read his story here).
Any notable absentees from that list for you? For me, a double conquering of a NSW outer bombie makes Tommy Myers a valid candidate. Slay the dragon, hang its head on your wall, and have the thing named after you. But perhaps that’s just regional bias.
To close, here’s a passage from Holden Trnka’s from-the-ground report from last year. Rub them hands together.
By daybreak on December 22, over 40,000 people had appeared — hoping for a glimpse at those men and women who were chosen to stand at the feet of the Pacific Ocean’s most menacing mountains.
What were we looking for in these icons of courage?
These surfers, who would just as soon defy death as they would buy groceries — could they rouse us from that inching, creeping fear which rots in the deepest part of our souls? Do they give us hope, that in our shared humanity, our similarity to them, we too might find the strength to overcome that which we could never imagine?
Or do we just wanna watch talented idiots chuck carcass off building-sized waves?
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