John John Florence Wins The Eddie Aikau Invitational

At the age of 23 John John Florence has entered the pantheon of surf legends by winning the 9th Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. In a day that saw faces as large as 60 feet, waves that closed out the bay, and 66-year-old Clyde Aikau compete for the last time, the North Shore's prodigal son ended up victorious. 

RELATED: The Eddie Will Go

Yesterday was called by many in attendance the best Eddie in history. With big wave legend Brock Little passing away the week before the comp, the memory of both him and Eddie was palpable throughout the contest. 

The crowd started forming as early as 4:00 AM, with the Aikau family making the call that the Eddie would run at 7:30 AM local time. Waimea Bay served as the perfect amphitheater for the complete arrival of John John Florenence. John dropped in on massive breaks, catching air and carving with the ferocity we are accustom to seeing on smaller waves. In one day John John cemented himself in the storied history of the Eddie.