Quiksilver and the famous Aikau reach tentative agreement to hold the Eddie this year!
Do you remember back in September when we reported that Red Bull had been flying back and forth to Hawaii to meet with the Aikau family in an attempt to secure media rights to the 2016/17 Eddie?
(The 10-year Quiksilver-Aikau deal was about to expire so the Aikaus were shopping around for a better deal.)
And, then, a few weeks later, that Quiksilver were going to pull out of the event because an agreement couldn’t be reached with the Aikaus?
And, then, when talks officially broke down, and it was revealed contest permits were owned by Quiksilver, that was that? No Eddie?
Instead, Quiksilver were playing around with different titles: The Quiksilver: In Memory of Jose Angel, The Quiksilver: In Memory of Todd Chesser, The Quiksilver: In Memory of Brock Little.
Our money was on The Brock, of course. How could it not?
Today we can reveal that pragmatism has finally prevailed. The Aikaus need the Quiksilver permits; Quiksilver has a ton of Eddie gear that still needs to be shifted.
Our source suggests the 2016-17 event, if it runs, and most likely it won’t given it’s only been run eight times in thirty years, will be The Quiksilver: In Memory of Eddie Aikau.
But next season? Up for grabs, baby!
Now, what was your favourite moment from this year’s Eddie? This is mine! A platoon of rescue skis… beached… by a thirty-foot closeout.
