HONOLULU (AP) — One of many world’s most prestigious and storied browsing contests is anticipated to be held Sunday in Hawaii for the primary time in seven years.

And this yr feminine surfers will likely be competing alongside the lads for the primary time within the 39-year historical past of The Eddie Aikau Huge Wave Invitational.

The occasion — alternatively identified merely as The Eddie — is a one-day contest held in Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore solely when the surf is constantly massive sufficient in the course of the winter large wave browsing season from mid-December via mid-March. The wind, the tides and the course of the swell additionally must be excellent.

“Massive sufficient” means 20 ft (6 meters) by Hawaii measurements. That’s equal to about 40 ft (12 meters) when measured by strategies utilized in the remainder of the U.S. Earlier than this yr, circumstances have solely aligned for it to be held 9 instances because the preliminary competitors in 1984.

Organizer Clyde Aikau mentioned at a information convention Friday that he was anticipating waves to achieve 25-30 ft (7.6-9 meters) by Hawaii measurements or 50-60 ft (15-18 meters) on the nationwide scale.

“Sure, The Eddie will go on Sunday,” he mentioned.

Different locations all over the world have large wave browsing occasions: Mavericks in California, Nazare in Portugal and Peahi on Hawaii’s Maui Island. However creator Stuart Coleman says The Eddie is distinguished by the way it honors Eddie Aikau, a legendary Native Hawaiian waterman, for his selflessness, braveness and sacrifice.

“What makes this contest probably the most distinctive is that it’s in reminiscence of a specific particular person who actually has transcended his time and place when he lived,” mentioned Coleman, who wrote “Eddie Would Go,” a biography of Aikau.

Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau rose to prominence as the primary lifeguard employed by Honolulu to work on Oahu’s North Shore and was revered for saving over 500 folks throughout his profession. He’s additionally well-known for browsing towering waves that nobody else would dare trip.

Aikau died in 1978 on the age of 31 throughout an expedition to sail a conventional Polynesian voyaging canoe from Honolulu to Tahiti. Simply hours out of port, the enormous double-hulled canoe often called the Hokulea took on water and overturned in stormy climate. Aikau volunteered to paddle a number of miles to close by Lanai Island on his surfboard to get assist for the remainder of the crew however was by no means seen once more.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the remaining crew just a few hours later after being alerted by a business aircraft that noticed the canoe.

Coleman mentioned The Eddie is about the perfect of massive wave browsing and the perfect of Hawaiian tradition.

“They at all times say on the opening ceremony, the place they collect to launch the holding interval, ’This isn’t only a contest. We’re not browsing in opposition to one another. We’re browsing within the spirit of Eddie,”′ Coleman mentioned.

This yr organizers have invited 40 rivals and 18 alternates from all over the world, together with Kelly Slater, who has gained a file 11 world browsing titles. John John Florence, who hails from the North Shore and who has gained two back-to-back world titles, has additionally been requested to affix.

Keala Kennelly of Kauai, a girls’s large wave surf champion, is among the many feminine invitees.

Mindy Pennybacker, a surf columnist for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and creator of the upcoming guide “Browsing Sisterhood Hawaii: Wahine Reclaiming the Waves” mentioned there’s lengthy been an assumption that Waimea was too harmful for girls they usually couldn’t surf there.

She mentioned they’ve needed to struggle to be included and have in the meantime proven that they might deal with large waves in spots all over the world.

“To see girls — not solely girls browsing Waimea however ladies and men sharing the identical occasion collectively, with mutual respect and equality — I’m simply actually thrilled on the thought,” Pennybacker mentioned.

The competition is anticipated to draw tens of 1000’s of spectators to the two-lane freeway winding via the North Shore and the small cities that dot the coastal group.

Kathleen Pahinui, the chairperson of the North Shore Neighborhood Board, mentioned it will likely be good for companies, eating places and outlets. She urged guests to carpool and take the bus as a result of the roads will likely be congested.

“I want all of the contributors the perfect of luck,” she mentioned.