Bruce Irons at last year's Eddie.The traditional Opening Ceremony of The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, will take place tomorrow, Thursday, December 2, at Waimea Bay.

We invite you to join the Aikau Family, Quiksilver, and the Invitees and Alternates of the 2010 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, as we gather to celebrate the life and legacy of Aikau for the 26th year. Kahu Billy Mitchell will be leading the ceremony, to be followed by a paddle out of the surfers. Over the years, this ceremony has become not only a colorful and cultural tradition, but a global gathering of people from all corners of the Earth who have personally connected with Aikau's story.

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau will be held on one day between December 1, 2010 and February 28, 2011, when waves exceed the 20-foot minimum threshold and Invitees contend for the $98,000 prize purse. Monster Energy will be presenting the Monster Drop Award for the surfer who makes the most critical drop and rides out of it during the event. The judges will determine the winner the day of the competition and will present the chosen surfer with a unique Monster Drop Specialty Award.

Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman, Eddie Aikau, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau gathers the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the globe. The Eddie is a surfer's ultimate challenge, employing unassisted manpower to physically paddle into and ride giant waves.

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau is the world's longest running and most prestigious big-wave invitational and is the only one sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing.

What began as a local tribute to one of Hawaii's favorite surfing sons in 1984, soon took on a life all its own and the story is the reason why this event continues to grow. Eddie Aikau has come to personify all of the human qualities we honor today: respect, humility, passion, and a love for fellow man. Waimea Bay was the canvas upon which his story is told each year, in his memory. For over 25 years, it is a story that has traversed the globe to touch hearts, minds and imaginations: a life lived with passion, dedicated with meaning, and exited from heroically.

Just 31 years of age when he lost his life in an attempt to save others, Aikau has physically been gone longer - 33 years - than he was here. But far from being forgotten, his life, the waves he rode, and the lives he saved on his ancestral grounds at Waimea Bay have become a part of history, passed on from person to person around the world like a wave seeking shore.

The Eddie has run just eight times in 25 years. You don't want to miss it when the Bay calls the momentous day. Go to Quiksilver.com/Eddie for swell updates, happenings from the North Shore, and to sign up for text alerts to make sure you're the first to know when the Bay calls the day!