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Quiksilver Announces Bruce Irons Is 20th Anniversary Champion of Legendary "Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational"
Charging 25 Foot Waves, Bruce Irons Becomes Seventh All-Time Winner And Claims $55,000 Prize
December 2004 (Newstream) --- Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE:ZQK), the boardriding industry leader, today announced that Bruce Irons has won the $55,000 grand prize at the 20th anniversary of the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational ( www.quiksilver.com/eddie_aikau_04) on December 15th. Named for revered Hawaiian big wave surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau, "The Eddie" can only be held at Waimea Bay on Oahu's famous North Shore under strict conditions. During the competition's annual holding period, the surf must measure a height of at least 20 feet, a factor which has caused the competition to only be held seven times in 20 years. This competition's swell reached an epic 25 feet, and once "The Eddie" was called, 24 of the world's greatest big wave surfers had just 12 hours to arrive and register. The event's total prize purse was $122,000, and drew the top big wave surfers in the world, including defending champion Kelly Slater, Pete Mel, Ross Clarke-Jones, Andy Irons and many more.
"This is greater than I could ever have imagined," said Bruce Irons. "It's every bit as big as it looked in all the videos and pictures I saw growing up. To ride the biggest waves of my life, to win a contest in the name of Eddie Aikau, a hero we've all grown up with, I don't know. I just don't know what to say."
A record crowd in excess of 20,000 overflowed the famous sands of Waimea Bay, lining roadsides, hillsides, and bringing traffic on the north shore of Oahu to a standstill for most of the day. The spectacle: the world's best big wave riders hurtling down mountains of Pacific blue under cloudless skies. To top off the day, Quiksilver CEO Bob McKnight announced an on-the-spot prize-money increase of 40 percent, taking the total to US$122,000.
"Quiksilver is proud to announce that Bruce Irons is the 20th Anniversary 'Eddie Aikau' champion," said Bob McKnight, CEO of Quiksilver. "All the surfers displayed power and bravery in conquering 'The Eddie's' massive 25 foot waves, and I think the competition did Eddie proud. Quiksilver is always excited and honored to host 'The Eddie' and pay tribute to one of the most legendary surfers in history."
The format for the event was two rounds of four one-hour heats, six surfers in each heat. Each surfer could ride a maximum four waves in each round, and at the end of the day, their best four waves were totaled - the highest scorer deemed the winner. Counting a perfect 100 point ride in his total, Bruce scored 370 points out of a possible 400. His other three rides came in at 99, 88, and 83 points.
Behind Irons, former event champion Ross Clarke-Jones of Australia placed second (338 points, US$12,000). Big Island's Shane Dorian (Haw) was third (331 points, US$7,000),
Andy Irons was fourth (329 points, US$5,000), Northern California's Peter Mel was fifth (327 points, US$4,000), and defending event champion Kelly Slater (Florida) was sixth (291 points, US$3,000). All surfers placed seventh through 24th received US$2,000 each.
Unlike most of today's big-wave events, "The Eddie" remains true to big-wave riding's roots and does not allow the use of personal water craft, such as jet-skis, to tow riders into waves. Competitors had to paddle themselves into mountains of water under their own arm power, then successfully make the drop and ride the enormous waves.
"Tow-in is a cakewalk in comparison," said 5th place winner, and Quiksilver surfer, Peter Mel. "Taking the drop using your own two arms is by far way gnarlier. The hairiest moment is when you first see that wave coming, having to sit in the spot and wanting so hard to run to the channel. It's definitely about mental strength."
If one full day of giant waves with favorable surface conditions had not occurred during the December 3, 2004 to February 28, 2005 holding period, the event would have been postponed another year by Contest Director George Downing, who checks long-range ocean and weather forecasts daily. Because of the stringent surf and condition requirements, "The Eddie" had only actually been held six times in 19 years prior to this year's event, with Kelly Slater claiming the last crown in 2002. Other former winners include Denton Miyamura, Clyde Aikau (Eddie Aikau's brother), Keone Downing, Noah Johnson and Ross Clarke-Jones.
Surfing legend Eddie Aikau was the North Shore's first full-time lifeguard, and earned the permanent guard chair at Waimea with a sterling reputation for saving innocent tourists. In 1978, the voyaging canoe he was on capsized, leaving him and fifteen other crew members stranded 12 miles east of Lanai. Tragically, Aikau swam off in a heroic attempt to find assistance and was never heard from again, despite the most intensive air-sea search in Hawaiian maritime history. Today, Aikau's spirit continues to live on in the community where the prize of the competition that bears his name, Quiksilver's "Waterman Award" is awarded to men and women who have used their skills and understanding of the sea to help enrich the lives of others. The Eddie Aikau Boardriders Store at the International Marketplace in Waikiki, where patrons shop for equipment amidst a huge collection of pictures and memorabilia saved by Eddie's family, also pays tribute to the legend.
About Quiksilver
Quiksilver designs, produces and distributes clothing, accessories and related products for young-minded people and develops brands that represent a casual lifestyle-driven from a boardriding heritage. Quiksilver's authenticity is evident in its innovative products, events and retail environments across the globe.
Quiksilver's primary focus is apparel, footwear and related accessories for young men and young women under the Quiksilver, Roxy, DC Shoes, Raisins, and Radio Fiji labels. Quiksilver also manufactures apparel, footwear and related accessories for boys (Quiksilver Boys and Hawk Clothing), girls (Roxy Girl, Teenie Wahine and Raisins Girls), men (Quiksilveredition and Fidra) and women (Leilani swimwear), as well as snowboards, snowboard boots and bindings under the Lib Technologies, Gnu, DC Shoes, Roxy and Bent Metal labels. Quiksilver's products are sold throughout the world, primarily in surf shops, skate shops and other specialty stores that provide an authentic retail experience for our customers. <
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www.quiksilver.com,
www.roxy.com,
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www.fidragolf.com,
www.quiksilveredition.com
and www.hawkclothing.com
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Contacts:
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