<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe src=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.youtube.com\\/embed\\/OCTPN9VwUAs?enablejsapi=1\\\" width=\\\"640\\\" height=\\\"360\\\" frameborder=\\\"0\\\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;\\/iframe&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Opening Ceremony&lt;\\/strong&gt;&lt;br \\/&gt;\\n&lt;em&gt;ASP Specialty Event&lt;\\/em&gt;&lt;br \\/&gt;\\n&lt;em&gt; Waimea Bay, Oahu, Hawaii&lt;\\/em&gt;&lt;br \\/&gt;\\n&lt;em&gt; December 1 &amp;#8211; February 29, 2011&lt;\\/em&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Opening Ceremony Signals Start of XXVII Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau&lt;\\/strong&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;WAIMEA BAY, Oahu\\/Hawaii \\u2013 (Friday, December 2, 2011) &amp;#8211; It\\u2019s a rare international sporting event that can have no set date, be held just eight times in a span of 27 years, and still gain strength. But the lifeblood of the big wave Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau lies in what one man\\u2019s life represented: the best that surfing and Hawaii have to offer the world.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;The story of Eddie Aikau, a Hawaiian hero who saved and inspired lives as Waimea Bay\\u2019s resident lifeguard and big wave charger, continues to touch generations. It\\u2019s a story that is told anew each December, when the opening ceremony for the event in his honor takes place on Oahu\\u2019s North Shore, as it did yesterday.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;figure id=\\\"attachment_1000141232\\\" style=\\\"width: 640px\\\" class=\\\"wp-caption aligncenter\\\"&gt;&lt;img class=\\\"size-full wp-image-1000141232\\\" title=\\\"Quiksilver In Memory Of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational\\\" src=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.grindtv.com\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/2011\\/12\\/Quiksilver-In-Memory-Of-Eddie-Aikau.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"Quiksilver In Memory Of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational\\\" width=\\\"640\\\" height=\\\"426\\\" \\/&gt;&lt;figcaption class=\\\"wp-caption-text\\\"&gt;Quiksilver In Memory Of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational invitees. Photo: Bielmann\\/SPL&lt;\\/figcaption&gt;&lt;\\/figure&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau is a one-day big wave surfing event that only runs when, and if, waves at Waimea Bay reach a minimum height of 20 feet. It was last held in December of 2009. It is a tribute to Aikau, who rode the mountainous waves of Waimea Bay in the late \\u201960s and early \\u201970s and saved lives as its first full-time lifeguard. He was lost at sea in 1978, west of the Hawaiian Islands during a voyage of the Polynesian sailing canoe, Hokule\\u2019a. Hokule\\u2019a capsized in heavy seas, stranding her crew. Eddie insisted upon paddling for land to get help, but was never seen again.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;\\u201cThere will be waves,\\u201d said Hawaiian kahu (priest) Billy Mitchell, in a voice that traveled to the far reaches of the bay. \\u201cBut those of you here today know that this is about much more than that.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;\\u201cEddie had a passion. He had a passion about living and loving the ocean. Whether you surf or you don\\u2019t surf, you are drawn to people like Eddie in life. People with big mana (spirit). We have to remember, and we cannot forget, someone who lived this way. Eddie never left people behind. It was his way. We need that in this life, especially now. It\\u2019s a way to surf; it\\u2019s a way to live.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;\\u201cThis event is Eddie\\u2019s story, and it is a ripple in the ocean to travel around the world.\\u201d&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;The holding period for the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau started, December 1st, and runs through to February 29, 2012. The defending champion is California\\u2019s Greg Long. Past champions are Denton Miyamura (Hawaii), Keone Downing (Hawaii), Clyde Aikau (Hawaii), Noah Johnson (Hawaii), Ross Clarke-Jones (Australia), Kelly Slater (USA), and Bruce Irons (Hawaii).&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;For more on the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau log on to &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.quiksilver.com\\/eddie\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;www.quiksilver.com\\/eddie&lt;\\/a&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.grindtv.com/surf/photos-the-quiksilver-in-memory-of-eddie-aikau-opening-ceremony/?pid=59143>