Hawaii surfer Landon McNamara wins the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational
WAIMEA BAY (HawaiiNewsNow) - It’s official: Landon McNamara has won the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.
He received 135.8 points as well as the highest-scoring wave of the competition — a perfect score of 50 — which earned him the Best Wave Award.
“This is a childhood dream of mine, something I’ve been working at since being a little kid on the beach here, watching these events go down,” he said. “I don’t know what to feel right now. I’ve already cried 10 times.
“I’m grateful to Eddie,” McNamara said. “Both my heats, I had a turtle I was following. For real. ... They say Eddie picks the winner, and I’m so grateful he picked me.”
The accomplishment is even more fitting considering his father, Liam McNamara, is the contest director.
The top nine finishers were:
- Landon McNamara (HI, 2024 WINNER)
- Mason Ho (HI)
- Billy Kemper (HI)
- Jamie O’Brien (HI)
- Nic Lamb (CA)
- Luke Shepardson (HI, 2023 WINNER)
- Nathan Florence (HI)
- Kai Lenny (HI)
- Koa Rothman (HI)
Competitor Greg Long, who won the big wave invitational in 2009, received the Aloha Spirit Award. Sunday was his final “Eddie” as he retires from the competition.
“Participating in this event has been the greatest honor and privilege of my life,” he said.
THE EDDIE IS ON: View our complete coverage
Tens of thousands of people gathered on Oahu’s North Shore to witness the historic event Sunday.
Waves were 50 feet in face height, according to Liam McNamara.
“The conditions are amazing. There’s a strong offshore breeze right now,” McNamara told Hawaii News Now early Sunday morning. “We’re looking for an amazing day of competition. This is a historic day. We want to make sure we start it with a bang and we end with a bang.”
This is the 11th time “The Eddie” has run in the last 40 years, and participation is by invitation only.
Previous Coverage:
- ‘The Eddie’ is on! Tens of thousands gather on North Shore for big wave surf contest
- From parking to park rules, here’s what you need to know to watch the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational
- North Shore businesses prepare for ‘The Eddie’ crowds
- ‘We are on’: The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational gets green light for Sunday
- Will ‘Eddie’ go? What big-wave contest organizers are looking for
- With ‘The Eddie’ possible, groups and organizers urge safety — and to leave a lot at home
- Yellow alert for ‘The Eddie’ this weekend as north-shore surf rises to dangerous levels
- SPECIAL SECTION: 2023 Eddie Aikau Stories
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