A TRIBUTE TO FALLEN BIG-WAVE SURFERS
Hawaiian Eddie Aikau was the quintessential waterman. Aikau was the first lifeguard ever hired at Waimea Bay—Oahu’s premiere big wave surf spot—where he would save countless lives and earn a reputation for his fearless surfing in perilous conditions. In 1978, at age 31, Aikau was selected by the Polynesian Voyaging Society to join the crew of the Hokule’a, a replica of the ancient double-hulled canoes that discovered the Hawaiian archipelago through celestial navigation. In the dark of night, as the Hokule’a took on water and capsized, Aikau grabbed a surfboard and began paddling towards the island of Lanai to seek help for his crew. He was never seen again.
Chinese-born Mark Foo was raised in Hawaii and revered as a professional surfer in the late 70′s and 80′s. In the early 90′s, Foo focused his energy on pushing the limits of big wave surfing. In 1994, two days before Christmas, 36 year old Mark Foo drowned while surfing “Mavericks,” a deadly big wave surf spot in Half Moon Bay outside of San Francisco.
In 1997, at 28 years old, Todd Chesser was a well-known big wave surfer and regular contributing writer for surfing Magazine. He drowned on the North Shore of Oahu while surfing a spot called “Alligator Rock.”
Jay Moriarity was a prodigious big wave surfer. When Moriarity was only 16 years old, he surfed alongside Mark Foo on that fateful day that Foo died. In 2001, the 22 year old Moriarity drowned while diving in the Maldives.
Peter Davi was a big wave pioneer and third generation fisherman from Monterey, California. In 2007, Davi drowned while surfing “Ghost Tree,” a big wave surf spot off Pebble Beach, California.
Hawaii-born Andy Irons was a three time word champion surfer, big wave charger, and soon to be father when he died of cardiac arrest in November of 2010. He was 32 years old.
Hawaii-born Sion Milosky was a father of two and a dedicated big wave surfer. In 2010, he won an award for catching the biggest wave ever paddled into. In March of 2011, 17 years after the death of Mark Foo, Milosky drowned while surfing “Mavericks.”
MAY ALL OF YOU REST IN PEACE. YOU SHALL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. ALOHA.
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Check out the five incredibly brutal nominees for the Verizon Wipeout category at the 2011 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. Starring Tiago Candelot at Jaws, Mark Mathews and Pato Teixiera at Shipstern Bluff, Laurie Towner at Cloudbreak and Big Ben Wilkinson at Maverick’s. Video by Tony Adams, Andy Chiz (2x), Elliot Leboe and Greg Browning.
Shane Dorian describes how the idea for the Billabong V1 wetsuit was developed following his brutal two-wave hold-down at Maverick’s and Billabong wetsuit product manager Hub Hubbard tells how it came together technically.
Miguel Del Toro, the greatest big wave surfer on the planet, rides 100 foot
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Surf Art Exhibition
All the latest action from around the world from the 2011 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. See www.BillabongXXL.com for all the latest entries.
Big wave 
The five heaviest wipeouts of the year all in one place. Which was the worst/best? Starring Grant Baker at Jaws, Shane Dorian at Maverick’s and Ryan Hipwood, Dan Griffith and Brooke Phillips at Shipstern Bluff. Epic carnage! Get ready to vote at www.BillabongXXL.com
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