The invite list for the 2026/27 Rip Curl Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is out: 32 invitees plus 25 alternates. The holding window runs December 6 to March 4, with an opening ceremony on December 3, and the event only runs when Waimea Bay serves up a full day of XXL, quality surf. In 41 years it has run just 11 times. Invitees include John John and Nathan Florence, Kai Lenny, Billy Kemper, 2023 winner Luke Shepardson and Ha’a Aikau, plus Paige Alms, Emily Erickson, Annie Reickert and Felicity Palmateer among the women. Tracks notes a building El Niño could help the Bay call the day.
Thirty-two of the heaviest chargers on Earth have their invites. Now they wait for XXL Waimea and an El Niño that’s cranking up nicely.
Source: Tracks Magazine. Headline and summary belong to the original publisher. We link, we don’t copy.
Sources
- Tracks Magazine: Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational Invitees Locked In: https://tracksmag.com.au/eddie-aikau-big-wave-invitational-invitees-locked-in
