The opening ceremony for The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave invitational took place on the sands of Waimea Bay, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, today. The 28 Invitees and 28 Alternates of this year's event shared in the celebration with the family of Eddie Aikau to celebrate the life of one of Hawaii's most respected big wave riders and heroes.

The holding period of The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau runs through to February 28, 2013. It is a one-day event that is only held if waves hit 40 feet (wave face height) or more. This is the 28th year of the event and it has only been held a total of eight times - the last being in December of 2009. California's Greg Long won that year and today he addressed all who gathered at Waimea Bay with an emotional message. Follow the event at: http://quiksilver.com/eddie