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ABOUT THE BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS

Oct 15, 2016

Banzai Pipeline (Ehukai Beach Park)

The Billabong Pipe Masters, the final stop of the Vans Triple Crown and the final event of the WSL Men’s World Tour, is the perfect venue for the culmination of both series. An iconic and historic wave, the Banzai Pipeline is often referred to as the best wave on the planet. Known for its perfect, heaving top-to-bottom barrels and its close proximity to shore, not only is it the perfect wave for those willing to charge, but also for the spectators on the beach.  

Part of the allure of Pipeline is that with the perfection comes consequence. Pipeline is one of the most dangerous waves on the planet. It has claimed more lives than any other wave in the world—one fatality a year, on average—inflicts numerous injuries and breaks boards for a hobby. The cause of danger, a shallow slab of reef with crevasses and coral heads, is also the reason for the barreling shape and immense power of the wave.  

Whether competitors drop into a wedging Pipeline left or free fall into a Backdoor right, surfing Pipe, especially big Pipe, requires a physical and mental commitment all to itself. It’s why the Pipe Masters title is so prestigious and its champions are some of the most highly respected surfers on the planet. 

Eddie Aikau was the first official lifeguard at Waimea Bay, on Oahu's North Shore, and at the same time developed a reputation as one of the best big wave riders in the world. Partnering with his younger brother/lifeguard Clyde, the pair never lost a life on their watch. Eddie surfed every major swell to come through the North Shore from 1967 to 1978. He attained a rank of 12th in the world on the early IPS pro surfing rankings. His best contest result was a win in the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. In 1978, Aikau was among a handful selected to join the cultural expedition of the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokule'a, which set sail from Magic Island, Oahu, bound for Tahiti, on March 16, 1978. Hokule'a soon encountered treacherous seas outside the Hawaiian Islands and the canoe capsized. After a wild night adrift, Aikau set off on his paddleboard on March 17 in search of help for his stranded crew members. He was never seen again. The ensuing search for Aikau was the largest air-sea search in Hawaii history. The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau event was established in 1984 held at Sunset Beach in his honor. The event moved the next winter to Waimea Bay and has been a fixture there ever since.

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 The HIC Pro Presented by Vans launches the North Shore surf season in Hawaii and showcases a talented lineup of both local and international surfers at one of the most consistent big wave venues on the planet, Sunset Beach. Now in its 32nd year, the HIC Pro is the official local qualifier for the Vans Triple Crown and offers 112 athletes a chance to compete in the prestigious series.

For over three decades, the HIC Pro has provided Hawaii surfers the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in professional surfing, collect valuable ratings points and ultimately surf home turf with only a few other athletes in the water. Qualifying surfers also go against the world's best in the first two events of the Vans Triple Crown - the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa Ali'i Beach and Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach. This high-ticket experience is touted as one of the greatest accomplishments for Hawaii athletes, as it gives them the occasion to demonstrate their talent, versatility and athleticism to the entire surfing industry.

Willie K 

Friday, September 30

Join us in the Banyan Courtyard every last Friday of the month for a Hawaiian Music concert under the stars. Music begins at 5:00pm with the featured performers taking the stage at 7:00pm playing two, 45-minute sets through 9:00pm.

http://www.alohafestivals.com/

The mission of Aloha Festivals is "to foster the Aloha Spirit through the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture and the celebration of the diverse customs and traditions of Hawaii." Aloha Festivals is funded through appropriated funds from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, corporate sponsorships, private donations, as well as through the sale of Aloha Festivals merchandise.

Duke's OceanFest 2016, August 20 - 28(click here for website)

Event Schedule

About Duke

 Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was an incredible Hawaiian waterman, and has been credited with spreading the sport of surfing. 

Kahanamoku was a natural at virtually all water-related activities—bodysurfing, board-surfing, diving, sailing, and outrigger canoe paddling—but he first came to prominence as a short-distance swimmer. In the summer of 1911, at age 20, he broke the American 50-yard record by more than a second, and beat the 100-yard world record by more than four seconds. (Kahanamoku had earlier that year cofounded the Hui Nalu Club, the world's second surfing organization following the 1908-formed Outrigger Canoe Club.) In the 1912 Olympics, held in Stockholm, Sweden, the 6'1" 190-pound Duke used the already-famous "Kahanamoku Kick" to set another world record on his way to a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle; he also won a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle relay. In the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium (World War I forced the cancellation of the 1916 Games), Kahanamoku won gold medals in both the 100-meter freestyle and the 400-meter freestyle relay; in the 1924 Olympics in Paris, the 34-year-old won a silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle. He was called the "human fish" and the "Bronzed Duke," and at age 42 Kahanamoku swam sprints as fast as when he was 21. In 1925, he made what the Honolulu Star-Bulletin described as a "superhuman rescue act," pulling eight fishermen out of heavy seas at Newport Beach, California.

Duke is fondly remembered today as an exemplary human being and the greatest waterman who ever lived.  A powerful ‘one-man visitor’s bureau’, Duke graciously welcomed waves of visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in his time, and was regarded as a symbol of all that is good in Hawaii.  

Take a moment to view the Waterman Hall of Fame to learn about other individuals whose contributions to water sports unite, inspire, and remind us of the unique opportunities our oceans provide to our communities.