![]() She also surfed Outside Log Cabins, Todos Santos in Baja, California and was the first woman at the heavy Australian slab Ours in 2009. On December 22, 1997, she was towed into 20-foot waves at Phantoms, considered the largest ever surfed by a woman until that point. ![]() Layne Beachley paddled and towed into a variety of harrowing waves, becoming the first well-diversified female big wave rider. Australian Jodie Cooper became the first woman to regularly surf backdoor and Pipeline, then Kauai native Rochelle Ballard would later set a new bar for mastering tube-riding. Red Bull Queen of the Bay director Betty Depolito surfed Waimea Bay regularly starting in 1979, pioneering the way for the women who surf Waimea Bay today. During one of the days that Albrecht was surfing Waimea Bay, Avril was surfing Backyards, and died dropping into a huge wave. Avril was known to surf Backyards Lefts on some very large days with Cher Pendarvis as well. She loved Waimea at 15 foot and up, but drew the line at 20 feet, “if Phyllis is out, it's not big enough for an contest.”Īvril (last name unknown) was also a big wave charger of the same period. According to Ken Bradshaw, Albrecht was so consistent that contest director George Downing could call the Eddie Aikau contest based on whether Albrecht was in the lineup or not. In 1977 she was the first bodyboarder, male or female, to surf big Sunset Point and Waimea Bay and she continued to surf there daily, for years. Phyllis “Jill” Dameron Albrecht was the first woman to be a regular at Waimea Bay and be considered a peer of the male big wave riders of her time. Mokuau was the only woman on the “Rescue Four,” the Westside jetski rescue unit with Brian Keaulana, working water patrol with him at Pipeline contests. Mokuau regularly surfed Makaha well over 10-foot, and was not only a part of the elite Hawaiian watermen of the time but their equal. Pua Mokuau from the Westside of Oahu was an accomplished waterwoman, one of the first woman lifeguards in Hawaii (Sunn was the first). Rell Sunn surfed inside Waimea Bay at Pinballs at 8-12 foot with her friend, the gentle and accomplished surfer and shaper from California Cher Pendarvis. Also of note were Margo Oberg and Lynn Boyer, who surfed big Sunset Point consistently and stylishly in the 1970s. Joyce Hoffman was the first woman to surf Pipeline and also surfed big Makaha. The Gidget movie stunt double borrowed a 10-foot gun on an 18-foot day, not waiting to be left out of surfing that day with her friends. In the modern era of surfing, Linda Benson from California was the first woman to surf Waimea Bay in 1954 at age 15. She surfed against the missionary’s decrees, helping to keep surfing flourishing in Hawaii, and even showcased her surfing in Brighton Beach, England to onlookers’ astonishment. Princess Ka’iulani, the last heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii before the overthrow and occupation, was an avid surfer and rode a 7’6 alaia made of koa wood. In 1896 Australian native, Honolulu resident and author and archeologist Thomas Thrum wrote an article entitled, “Hawaiian Surf Riding.” He described the role of women in surfing during the late 19th century and noted that in Hawaiian history and legends, it was more often that, “the gentler sex carried off the highest honors." The oldest known surfboard in existence is a piano held at the Bishop Museum, and belonged to a 16th century Hawaiian chieftess named Kaneaumuna who lived at Ho’okena on the Big Island. “It’s just a whole new road and a very exciting road, and the main thing is that the family wants to continue to carry on Eddie’s legacy and what he was all about.” “Even if we have to have coconuts for trophies and you come down with a can of sardines, Uncle Clyde will feed you rice and we’ll have the event,” Clyde Aikau said. All that costs money yet the Aikau family is unperturbed. Running a competition requires permits, insurance, and temporary infrastructure to deal with increased traffic and crowds. “Yes, we’re gonna continue that because that’s been the tradition,” Sol Aikau said. On November 30th the opening ceremony for The Eddie would be held. The family is just moving on with the tremendous support from the public and from Hawaii,” Clyde Aikau said. ![]() “I do wanna thank Quiksilver for all the years. Though they have parted ways, the Aikau family told KHON2 Hawaii there’s nothing but gratitude for the former sponsor. The new contest would simply be called 'The Eddie' and run along traditional lines - waves would have to reach a minimum height before the contest gets the green light. Yesterday, however, the Aikau family announced the contest would be rebadged and run without Quiksilver's help. Last month it appeared an era was ending when the Aikau family and Quiksilver couldn't reach an agreement over their long-running contest, the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Invitational.
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