So, I've delved into every possible site that I know of....Surline, MSW, WSL, others that I can't recall. Is this thing on, or what? 'Cause I sure can't tell. I also wonder, how do the contest organizers get the competitors to fly in on such sketchy notice? And who pays the tab, thousands of dollars, for full-fare airs from around the globe for these guys to pop in, for a one-day no-money event that has at best a 50-50 shot at going off? I realize that lots of the competitors are already in Hawaii for the season.....but looking at the invite list, many of the guys are not anywhere near Oahu at this moment (night before possible go time). Not barkin'. Just wondering about the machinations of this event. And quietly hoping it goes so I can close my office door & have important meetings most of tomorrow.
I was just thinking similar thoughts. After the last one went bust, how many are willing to risk it? A lot of those guys are in hawaii this time of year anyway, that probably helps. I'm expecting a bunch of alternates, which is actually pretty cool.
Morning call. They won't know for sure until tomorrow am As for picking up the tab, it's the sponsors. Some of these guys are paid millions a year, a plane ticket is a drop in the bucket. And trust me they are all in first 1st class
The beauty of the Eddie is that they make the call onsite in the morning? The logistics associated with getting there are precisely why the alternates list is huge. If you ain't gonna make it they go to the next fella on the list. It really has turned into quite a **** show - traffic is freaking terrible. You can't park anywhere near the north shore and you better get there at 4am if you want a spot on the beach to watch.
Ya don't know till ya know. It hearkens back to days when time frames were irrelative. I hope it goes off. Can't Wait!!!
Updated Wednesday night at 8:30PM HST Latest obs from buoy 01 show are actually above model guidance and very solid. This is further confirmation of a huge swell on Thursday. The big question in the morning is will it be too big to run (and it's a distinct possibility). Stay tuned, we'll provide another quick update in the morning on the latest buoy data and trend for the day. One thing is for sure: it will be pumping first thing.
EVENT HEAT DRAW: Heat 1: Shane Dorian (HAW), Kohl Christensen (HAW), Greg Long (CA), Ramon Navarro (CHI), Sunny Garcia (HAW), Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS), Jamie Mitchell (AUS) Heat 2: Kelly Slater (FL), David Wassell (HAW), Grant Baker (ZAF), Reef McIntosh (HAW), Jamie O'Brien (HAW), Aaron Gold (HAW), Tom Carroll (AUS) Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW), Mark Healey (HAW), Clyde Aikau (HAW), Nathan Fletcher (CA), Noah Johnson (HAW), Peter Mel (CA), Takayuki Wakita (JPN) Heat 4: Bruce Irons (HAW), Makuakai Rothman (HAW), Ian Walsh (HAW), Albee Layer (HAW), Kala Alexander (HAW), Garrett McNamara (HAW), Jeremy Flores (FRA) Slater, Bruce, JJF, Dorian, Healy, Long, JOB, etc. All those guys are well in the millions JJF makes about 6 million a year. I'm willing to bet at least half of the others are in $500K+ a year. Plenty of sponsorship to pay for a plane ticket.
EVENT HEAT DRAW: As I look at that list I was trying to determine who is most legendary/impressive, to paddle in to "The Eddie" In my order: Clyde, Tom, Ross, (then tied for next.....Dorian,Garcia,Fletcher).
Enjoy man, that's a sight to behold, even without people dodging death in the midst of it. Scobey, nice little dig ya snuck in there for the sultan of insultin himself.
Nick Carrol is on the ground for Surfline and will be sending updates all day. Here’s his first one, 6:40am local time: “I'm sure they're gonna run. Scene on the ground: there's a lot of people here but the once bitten twice shy effect caused by the non Eddie two weeks ago has taken the frantic edge off things. Instead there's a sense of relief and maybe gratitude that the event is past what Bob McKnight called the "whiplash" - the back and forth nature of a Day you can't call in advance, even though everybody wants you to. For the surfers it's another kind of Day altogether. No two of them are quite the same state. They're calm, nervous, psyched, amping, unsure about being the center of so much attention. Injuries: a few people hobbling, Healeys getting over the flu, nothing too serious. Incredible morning, though. At about 6:10am Tom tapped me on the shoulder and pointed up Waimea Valley. There hanging perfectly framed in the cusp of the valley, was a single bright star. We watched it for a while. Its edges flickered red, and it dawned on me that it wasn't a star but a planet. Mars. The God of War.”
Got chills on that last line! Hopefully today is the day and we get to see some raw ocean power and a few shorebreak barrels!
