Jamie O’Brien Surfs ‘60ft’ Waimea Bay at The Eddie (Video)

The Bay calls the day, so they say.

Unintentional Seussian slip right there, but that’s the way it goes with the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational – often called simply “The Eddie,” or more colloquially, “the world’s most prestigious contest,” or the “Super Bowl of surfing.”

It’s an event steeped in history, honoring the late, legendary Hawaiian waterman Eddie Aikau. Adding to its prestige, the contest has only run 11 times since in 40 years. Why? The requisite 40-foot waves at Waimea Bay. But last season, the swell showed up; and the North Shore of Oahu’s own Jamie O’Brien competed in the event, juicing the algorithm a bit with his video recap of the event, calling the swell in the 60-foot range.

“The Eddie Aikau is the Super Bowl [told ya] of surfing,” JOB narrates his vlog. “It is this day that comes out of nowhere once every few years. A big wave event that only runs when the wave faces reach 40-feet high. Eddie Aikau is a legend. He is an iconic waterman. He is everything every kid growing up in Hawaii is seeking to be. Eddie was a big wave pioneer and the first lifeguard on the North Shore of Oahu, who save hundreds of lives. The best big wave surfers on the planet come to Waimea Bay to honor Eddie’s legacy.”

If you’ve been lucky enough to be on Oahu when the Eddie runs, then you know how special – practically mystical – the event is. Both to locals, and outsiders.

“When The Eddie is on,” JOB continues, “everybody stops what they’re doing in Hawaii. Everyone drives over to Waimea Bay.”

And the last time the event ran was on December 22nd, 2024; local boy Landon McNamara took home the win. His name was etched in the holy tablet of select-few surfers who have won the contest, forever celebrating his feat in the annals of surf history.

Fun fact: more people have stepped foot on the moon, than won The Eddie.

“To have my name amongst all those legends, that’s the best part of it all,” McNamara told SURFER after the win. “Especially having my name next to my best friend Luke [Shepardson]. These are the best surfers in the world. These are the surfers I look up to. They’re doing the most advanced things in big waves across the world. And now, two local boys who have put in the time and effort at this specific spot, that paid off.”

As for this year, there’s still time; the window runs through March 6th.

Fingers (and toes) crossed.