Landon McNamara took home first place at the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, referred to as “The Eddie,” hosted on Sunday in Waimea Bay, Hawaii. The event featured waves over 40 feet and over 25,000 spectators, according to KHON 2. It marked the 11th time the competition was held at Oahu’s North Shore in its 40-year history.
McNamara’s final score and three wave total was 135.80, while Mason Ho finished second with a score of 120.90 and Billy came in third at 119.90.
In winning the competition, McNamara earned a prize of $50,000 and 350,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles.
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“The thing was a bomb, I was pretty late. I gave it two paddles and then, I don’t know, I stopped and thought I was about to eat crap,” Landon said, according to Surfer. “It felt like the gnarliest drop I’ve had in some years out here.”
“To win this event back to back with my best friend Luke, I don’t know what to feel right now,” he added. “I’ve already cried 10 times, I’m more just soaking up this moment. Grateful to be here, grateful to the Aikau ohana, my uncle Garret for coaching me through this, grateful to my dad, my partner and my son.”
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The event, which is often referred to as “The Eddie,” is one of the most prestigious surf competitions in the world. It is known for attracting some of the best surfers and giving attendees an impressive spectacle. The competition was named in honor of Hawaii’s late big wave surfer Eddie Aikau, who was also a Waimea Bay lifeguard.
“I’m grateful for Eddie. Both my heats I had a turtle I was following, for real,” McNamara said. “They say Eddie picks the winner, and I’m so grateful he picked me.”
Aside from surfing, McNamara is also a musician. In 2016, he released his debut album titled A Dollar Short and a Minute Late. The project was featured as No. 1 on iTunes and reached No. 5 on Billboard’s reggae charts, according to KHON 2.
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“I write all of my own songs and I play the guitar,” he said on his website. “I try to keep it as versatile as I can and not be trapped in one genre, but there’s a pretty strong reggae vibe throughout the album.”
“Most of my songs have a positive message. What I’m trying to get across to people…I want people to feel good inside when they listen to my music. I don’t want people to feel depressed!” McNamara added.
